Courtesy: Indira Huilca

Dear John,

This and the coming week mark an important time for WOLA. We are in the midst of planning our activities for the next year as our whole staff comes  together to share our ideas, dreams, and expectations for 2024. It's all happening within the framework of our 50th-anniversary celebrations, making it an even more special occasion.

Our planning is, of course, informed by our invaluable partners and allies, many of whom will be in Washington, D.C., attending the IACHR public hearings during the 188th Period of Sessions from October 30 to November 10, 2023. We are thrilled to welcome partners from all over Latin America to the nation's capital enhancing our collective commitment to justice and human rights.

WOLA has a busy schedule of public events ahead. We’re co-sponsoring a panel discussion on the challenges faced by independent journalists in Central America, aligning with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. Another event will focus on Crowd-Control Weapons in the Americas after an IACHR hearing. Laura Dib, Director for Venezuela, will moderate a panel on civic space in Venezuela, and Gimena Sánchez Garzoli will discuss the rights of immigrants and the diaspora. For detailed information about these upcoming events click here. Furthermore, our 50th-anniversary page provides insights into additional exciting events we have in store.

On a more somber note, we received disappointing news from Peru regarding the verdict that acquitted nine former military officers in the case of the assassination of union leader Pedro Huilca Tecse under the regime of Alberto Fujimori. This lengthy trial has been subjected to many pressures that regrettably led to the acquittal of those responsible. Our senior fellow, Jo-Marie Burt, published a commentary on the case (In Spanish).

Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement with WOLA. Together, we'll continue to work towards a more just and equitable world.

Zaida Márquez

WOLA Vice President for Communications

• 🇵🇪 Reflecting on the tragic murder of union leader Pedro Huilca under the Alberto Fujimori regime, more than three decades ago, the recent verdict on October 31st was anticipated as a crucial milestone for truth and justice. Senior Fellow Jo-Marie Burt shares valuable insights gleaned from her dialogue with Pedro Huilca's family. Article in Spanish.

• 🇲🇽 Striving for justice in Mexico that is fair, equitable, and trustworthy is a collective endeavor. WOLA proudly joins hands with over 20 Mexican and international civil society organizations in the civil society collective "La Justicia Que Queremos" (The Justice That We Want).

• 🕊️ This month, Adam Isacscon, Director for Defense Oversight, spoke with Maria Belén Garrido and Jeffrey Pugh, leaders of the Regional Institute for the Study and Practice of Strategic Nonviolent Action in the Americas. In this podcast episode, they discuss several nonviolent movements in Latin America and the resources their institute provides for nonviolent social change activism in the region.

📍Discover WOLA’s event lineup for the upcoming days, coinciding with the IACHR public hearings during the 188th Period of Sessions from October 30 to November 10, 2023.

In Guatemala, “the threats against the popular will are strengthening, so the hope is these sanctions won’t be just sending a message, but preventing a continued alteration to constitutional order”

Ana María Méndez-Dardon, Director for Central America

– The Hill, State Department sanctions Guatemalan officials over post-election interference

"Militarization does not work and is not the solution. Why? The true power of organized crime doesn’t come just from firearms, it comes from collusion and corruption on the part of authority. It comes from a climate of near total impunity” 

Stephanie Brewer, Director for Mexico

– Forbes, The Aftermath Of Hurricane Otis Highlights Broader Problems In Mexico

We were thrilled to host students from Temple University Beasley School of Law‘s Sheller Center for Social Justice! We have an ongoing project where we work with a new group of students each semester to create valuable resources for asylum attorneys in the U.S. During their visits, students engage with local attorneys to gather feedback, and these resources have been highly appreciated and widely used by the legal community. Additionally, we are excited to announce that we will soon release new resources focusing on country conditions in Venezuela, further supporting the essential work of asylum attorneys.

Past resources include children fleeing recruitment by gangs in Guatemala and Honduras; as well as the persecution of Indigenous peoples in Honduras and Guatemala; the high-risk situation of human rights defenders and journalists in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; and the hazards of the Remain in Mexico program.

🎉Explore this carefully curated resource page dedicated to the celebration of the Day of the Dead from the National Museum of the American Latino.

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