The Indigenous World 2025: Guatemala

Written on 25 April 2025. Posted in Guatemala

By the year 2023, the population of Guatemala is projected to reach 17.6 million,^[1] of which 43.75% are Indigenous, belonging to the Mayan peoples (Achi', Akateco, Awakateco, Chalchiteco, Ch'orti', Chuj, Itza', Ixil, Jacalteco, Kaqchikel, K'iche', Mam, Mopan, Poqomam, Poqomchi', Q'anjob'al, Q'eqchi', Sakapulteco, Sipakapense, Tektiteko, Tz'utujil and Uspanteko), as well as the Garífuna, Xinka and Creole or Afro-descendant peoples.

The Political Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala recognizes the existence of Indigenous Peoples and defines the country as a multicultural society. Despite having ratified international agreements on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, however, in practice there is a wide social, economic and political gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. For example, the State spends USD 0.4 per day on each Indigenous person and USD 0.9 per day on each non-Indigenous person.^[2] In turn, poverty affects 75% of Indigenous and 36% of non-Indigenous people,^[3] while chronic malnutrition affects 58% of Indigenous people compared to 38% of non-Indigenous people.^[4] In terms of political participation, Indigenous people account for no more than 15% of members of parliament and high-ranking public officials.

Although the country has signed up to international instruments such as ILO Convention 169 (approved with constitutional status in 2010), the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Policy on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, their implementation continues to present bureaucratic hurdles and legal barriers that hinder progress in the elimination of colonialism and discriminatory practices against Indigenous Peoples.

This article is part of the 39^th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. The photo above is of an Indigenous activist Funa-ay Claver, a Bontok Igorot, standing alongside Indigenous youth activists and others. They are protesting against the repressive laws and human rights violations suffered through the actions and projects of the Government of the Philippines and other actors against Indigenous Peoples at President Marcos Jr’s national address on 22 July 2024 in Quezon City, Philippines. The photo was taken by Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas and is the cover of The Indigenous World 2025 where this article is featured. Find The Indigenous World 2025 in full here

The long process to defend democracy

2024 began with uncertainty surrounding the inauguration of the new governmental authorities (president and vice-president, members of Congress and municipal councils) that won the 2023 elections. The Public Prosecutor's Office continued its legal persecution of President-elect Bernardo Arévalo and his political party, Movimiento Semilla (Seed Movement), alleging fraud and other electoral crimes, the same arguments used by the so-called “Pacto de Corruptos” (Corrupt Pact), made up of a number of politicians, businessmen and public officials who have openly opposed the fight against impunity and corruption.

The popular, Indigenous, peasant, urban, academic and student sectors continued their mobilization to demand respect for the electoral results. Thanks to popular pressure, finally, and in the midst of a chaotic situation, the Congress of the Republic was able to swear in the new president in the early hours of 15 January, without the presence of the outgoing president.

Throughout the year, the new government continued to face attacks from the “Pacto de Corruptos”, with interests representing this group managing to block the implementation of any significant change in the fight against corruption, the main agenda item of the new administration. Despite pressure from the general public, constitutional reasons meant that it was not possible to remove the head of the Public Prosecutor's Office, nor was it possible to remove those judges accused of being anti-democratic. This gradually wore the government down and ended up limiting its capacity to meet its electoral promises.^[5] In November, after a long process, the new Supreme Court of Justice and Court of Appeals were finally established.

The following can be cited as some of the main achievements of this first year of government: the construction of 11 health centres, the social voucher for 100,000 families, the rebuilding of 10,000 State-run schools, the peasant voucher, and the formulation of a National Youth Policy and National Irrigation Policy, albeit with little progress in overcoming social inequalities.^[6]

Despite being a minority in the Congress of the Republic and being legally suspended, something that prevented it from being able to form working commissions, the governing Movimiento Semilla party managed to establish alliances with the other parties that enabled the approval of 35 laws, among them the Competition Law, the Budget 2025, the election of Magistrates to the Supreme Court of Justice and Court of Appeals, the Priority Highway Infrastructure Law, the National Civil Police Law and a Law declaring the National Day of Indigenous Languages.^[7]

Situation of Indigenous youth

The ethnicity of the youth population is 39.9% Mayan, 1.1% Xinka, 0.2% Garífuna, 0.1% Afro-descendant and 58.6% non-Indigenous (Ladinos).^[8] Indigenous youth seem to be showing an increased interest in their ethnic self-recognition, spurred on by a greater presence on social media. The situation of Indigenous youth is even more precarious due to the discrimination and structural racism prevalent in Guatemalan society. According to the Youth Survey 2023, prepared by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and World Vision, published in 2024, there are notable differences between the highest levels of education achieved by young people according to their ethnicity: primary stands at 42.2% among Indigenous and 17.2% among non-Indigenous; lower secondary, 25.6% among Indigenous and 29.4% among non-Indigenous; higher secondary, 23.2% among Indigenous and 42.4% among non-Indigenous; and university, 5.5% among Indigenous and 10.3% among non-Indigenous. These significant differences are also present in terms of access to health, technology and digital connectivity, reflecting the different socio-economic conditions of the two groups.^[9]

Given the lack of opportunities in Guatemala, Indigenous youth have been forced to migrate to the country's urban centres or undertake long and risky journeys abroad, especially to the United States. Of these young migrants, 27.6% are Indigenous,^[10] which has resulted in a loss of the social fabric, community ties, Indigenous cultural identity, native languages and ancestral knowledge, despite efforts made by migrant communities to preserve their identity and connection with the territory by supporting the development of their communities of origin.^[11]

In turn, Indigenous youth become vulnerable to the pressures of consumer culture, gangs, drug trafficking, human trafficking and other forms of violence.

Farruko Pop's murder: discrimination against a young Indigenous artist

On 25 May, the murder of Sebastián Pop, better known as Farruko Pop, a young Mayan Q'eqchi' man, 18 years of age, from the department of Izabal, was reported in Guatemala City. Farruko Pop had gained notoriety as a singer and creator of digital content for social media. His death has been linked to practices of discrimination and racism, since the perpetrators took advantage of his poor command of the Spanish language (he was often mocked for it), in addition to the fact that he was unaware of the risks of living in and travelling around the city. Farruko Pop faced ethnic prejudice and his aspiration to grow in the artistic world was played out against a backdrop of inequality, something common for Indigenous youth.^[12] Like him, thousands of young Indigenous people see their dreams of becoming artists, professionals or athletes dashed, as they are quickly subjected to discrimination and racism, mocked for their names, the way they speak or the colour of their skin. The expression “you look like an Indian” is a widely used pejorative to disqualify the dreams of Indigenous youth.

Discrimination and violence against young Indigenous women

Young Indigenous women feel safer and more integrated in their communities of origin but, outside, when they migrate for work or study, they face discrimination, racism and violence. In Guatemala City and other urban centres around the country, young Indigenous women are exploited in domestic jobs and tortilla factories, while men are employed in construction, private security and informal trade, where they work long hours, earning less than the minimum wage and without social security.^[13] In the cities, young Indigenous women are not only exploited for labour but also suffer violence and are easy prey for organized mafias.

Young women are more vulnerable to sexual and domestic violence. Between July 2023 and June 2024, the Public Prosecutor's Office reported 47,871 complaints for crimes committed against women, while in 2023 there were 4,553 criminal sentences handed down such crimes.^[14] As a result of sexual violence, poverty and a patriarchal culture, Indigenous and non-Indigenous young women face problems of early pregnancy. Every day, 176 girls and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 become mothers^[15] and this has a strong effect on their physical and mental health, as well as on their future employment, education and family.

Youth policies and programmes

Both the government and cooperation agencies are designing different strategies to alleviate the problem and promote development options for young people. The Youth Survey 2023^[16] is an effort to understand the situation of youth, their aspirations and needs, as an input for the design of policies and programmes that can contribute to their comprehensive development. At the same time, the National Institute of Statistics has published the Statistical Compendium with a Focus on Youth,^[17] and the Ministry of Social Development has published an updated version of the National Youth Policy 2024-2040.

For their part, various social groups and non-governmental organizations are implementing projects in favour of youth. One of the main objectives is to increase opportunities for young people in education, political training, organization, self-management, economic alternatives and the fight against violence.^[18] Through these efforts, it is hoped that young people will have better opportunities for decent jobs, improve their income, increase their social and political participation, take back ownership of their ancestral Indigenous culture and develop skills in different fields, such as art, culture and sports. It is hoped that, with better living conditions, young people will be less vulnerable to international migration and pressure from organized crime.

Among the commemorative activities for the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the Congress of the Republic implemented a process recognizing the young talent among Indigenous Peoples. On this occasion, they presented awards to five outstanding young Indigenous people from the country who had excelled at the national and international levels. Through their initiatives, these young people are contributing to the development, cultural revitalization and exercise of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.^[19]

Autonomy and political participation

The Youth Survey 2023^[20] indicates that most young people make decisions about work, study, religion, marriage and political participation, although parental influence is still prevalent. Many young people, especially women, often take on the care of their parents or elderly and sick relatives.

During 2024, Indigenous youth participated in community and national politics. In many communities, young people have to fulfil the positions to which they are appointed (kax kol, in the K'iche' language). Increasingly, communities are choosing to appoint young people with a higher level of education to important positions (Indigenous mayors, secretaries). From these spaces, young people are involved in the struggle for the rights of Indigenous Peoples, such as the defence of territory, cultural preservation and their own organization.

At the national level, in the 2023-2024 political electoral process, young people played a leading role in defending democracy, participating in social protests, and making use of social media, which reflects an important generational change in the form of participation. Several Indigenous youth hold positions on municipal councils or in the civil service, and their participation could be greater still if barriers of discrimination, insecurity and education were overcome.

Silvel Elías is an Indigenous Mayan K'iche, professor and coordinator of the Rural and Territorial Studies Programme (PERT) at the Faculty of Agronomy of the University of San Carlos de Guatemala.

This article is part of the 39^th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. The photo above is of an Indigenous activist Funa-ay Claver, a Bontok Igorot, standing alongside Indigenous youth activists and others. They are protesting against the repressive laws and human rights violations suffered through the actions and projects of the Government of the Philippines and other actors against Indigenous Peoples at President Marcos Jr’s national address on 22 July 2024 in Quezon City, Philippines. The photo was taken by Katribu Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas and is the cover of The Indigenous World 2025 where this article is featured. Find The Indigenous World 2025 in full here

Notes and references

^[1] Republic of Guatemala. (2019). Estimaciones y proyecciones de la población total según sexo y edad. https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ine.gob.gt%2Fine%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F08%2FEstimaciones_y_proyecciones_de_poblacion-1950-2050.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

^[2] Investment in Indigenous Peoples, according to the budget implemented in 2015. Guatemala: Central American Institute for Fiscal Studies. (July 2017). https://www.icefi.org/sites/default/files/inversion_en_pueblos_indigenas_0.pdf

^[3] IACHR. (31 December 2016). Situation of Human Rights in Guatemala. http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/reports/pdfs/guatemala2016-en.pdf

^[4] Secretariat of Food and Nutritional Security. (10 February 2025). Análisis de situación, nutricional de Guatemala. http://www.sesan.gob.gt/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Situacion-SAN-Guatemala-dia-1.pdf

^[5] Redacción CAP. Guatemala 2024: análisis tras un convulso proceso electoral. CAP.

^[6] Gobierno de Guatemala cierra 2024 con logros y retos, aseguró Arévalo. Prensa Latina. (16 December 2024) https://www.prensa-latina.cu/2024/12/16/gobierno-de-guatemala-cierra-2024-con-logros-y-retos-aseguro-arevalo/

^[7] The laws can be found at: https://www.congreso.gob.gt/seccion_informacion_legislativa/decretos#gsc.tab=0

^[8] National Institute of Statistics. (October 2023). Compendio estadístico con enforque de juventud.

https://www.ine.gob.gt/sistema/uploads/2023/11/06/20231106222842pWf6BcBWj8taVS3Q3mRKxgDsvwPejgH8.pdf

^[9] Plataforma de Gestión de Conocimiento. (29 October 2024). Youth Survey 2023, Guatemala. FANCAP. https://plataforma.fancap.org/items/905cc561-9593-46df-8e5c-52b374247e2b/full

^[10] Andrés Asier. (22 March 2024). Dónde están, cuántos y quiénes son los guatemaltecos en EE.UU. No Ficción. https://no-ficcion.com/la-historia-de-gris-migracion-y-la-importancia-de-la-educacion/#:~:text=Los%20j%C3%B3venes%20ind%C3%ADgenas%2C%20seg%C3%BAn%20la,las%20etnias%20originarias%20de%20Guatemala.

^[11] National Guatemalan Council for Migrant Support. (2023). Estudio para la sistematización de experiencias de las asociaciones de inmigrantes guatemaltecos para el impulso de proyectos de desarrollo comunitario. Guatemala. https://conamigua.gob.gt/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ESTUDIO-PARA-LA-SISTEMATIZACIOiN-DE-EXPERIENCIAS-DE-LAS-ASOCIACIONES-DE-INMIGRANTES-GUATEMALTECOS.pdf

^[12] Sandy Pineda. (24 June 2024). Farruko Pop: su muerte, la violencia, la desigualdad y los otros problemas que evidenció su caso. Prensa Libre. https://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/comunitario/farruko-pop-muerte-videos-violencia-guatemala/  

^[13] Eugenia Sagastume. (27 September 2021). Cientos de niños indígenas son explotados en tortillerías de Guatemala: estudio. Voz de América. https://www.vozdeamerica.com/a/investigacion-revela-cientos-menores-indigenas-explotados-tortillerias-guatemala-/6248275.html

^[14] National Institute of Statistics. (July 2024). Estadísticas de violencia contra la mujer y violencia sexual 2023. Guatemala. https://www.ine.gob.gt/sistema/uploads/2024/07/25/20240725150702CFwB5ymljJwZvXLFSlpWgq3rbZauORZg.pdf

^[15] UNFPA. (03 October 2023). Prevenir el embarazo en adolescentes es un compromiso impostergable. https://guatemala.unfpa.org/es/news/prevenir-el-embarazo-en-adolescentes-es-un-compromiso-impostergable

^[16] Plataforma de Gestión de Conocimiento. (29 October 2024). Youth Survey 2023, Guatemala. FANCAP. https://plataforma.fancap.org/items/905cc561-9593-46df-8e5c-52b374247e2b/full

^[17] National Institute of Statistics. (October 2023). Compendio estadístico con enfoque de juventud. 20231106222842pWf6BcBWj8taVS3Q3mRKxgDsvwPejgH8.pdf

^[18] USAID Guatemala. (17 October 2024). Los jóvenes en Guatemala enfrentan diversas desigualdades (…). Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/USAIDGuatemala/videos/los-j%C3%B3venes-en-guatemala-enfrentan-diversas-desigualdades-es-por-esto-que-usaid-/1942879652788799/

^[19] Legislative Body. (20 August 2024). Reconocimiento a talentos juveniles destacados de los Pueblos Indígenas de Guatemala, Maya, Garífuna y Xinca. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/congreso.republica.guatemala/videos/reconocimiento-a-talentos-juveniles-destacados-de-los-pueblos-ind%C3%ADgenas-de-guate/26387701020877425/

^[20] Plataforma de Gestión de Conocimiento. (29 October 2024). Youth Survey 2023, Guatemala. FANCAP. https://plataforma.fancap.org/items/905cc561-9593-46df-8e5c-52b374247e2b/full

Tags: Youth, Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Defenders