Catherina
Catherina's JournalYou're welcome with hugs. About Otto Rene Castillo, Guatemalan communist poet and revolutionary
I feel a thread coming for the martyred revolutionary musicians of Latin American coming soon I'd never heard of Castillo before and wanted to look him up first thing in the morning.
Otto Rene Castillo
Otto Rene Castillo, born 1936, was a Guatemalan revolutionary, a guerilla fighter, and a poet. Following the 1954 CIA-sponsored coup that overthrew the democratic Arbenz government, Castillo went into exile in El Salvador, where he met Roque Dalton and other writers who helped him publish his early works. When the dictator Armas died in 1957 he returned to Guatemala and in 1959 went to the German Democratic Republic to study, where he received a Masters degree. Castillo returned to Guatemala in 1964 and became active in the Workers Party, founded the Experimental Theater of the Capital City Municipality, and wrote and published numerous poems. That same year, he was arrested but managed to escape, going into exile once again, this time in Europe. Later that year he went back to Guatemala secretly and joined one of the armed guerilla movements operating in the Zacapa mountains. In 1967, Castillo and other revolutionary fighters were captured; he, along with his comrades and some local campesinos, were brutally tortured and then burned alive.
Works:
http://vimeo.com/39080625
Apolitical Intellectuals
One day
the apolitical
intellectuals
of my country
will be interrogated
by the simplest
of our people.
They will be asked
what they did
when their nation died out
slowly,
like a sweet fire
small and alone.
No one will ask them
about their dress,
their long siestas
after lunch,
no one will want to know
about their sterile combats
with "the idea
of the nothing"
no one will care about
their higher financial learning.
They won't be questioned
on Greek mythology,
or regarding their self-disgust
when someone within them
begins to die
the coward's death.
They'll be asked nothing
about their absurd
justifications,
born in the shadow
of the total lie.
On that day
the simple men will come.
Those who had no place
in the books and poems
of the apolitical intellectuals,
but daily delivered
their bread and milk,
their tortillas and eggs,
those who drove their cars,
who cared for their dogs and gardens
and worked for them,
and they'll ask:
"What did you do when the poor
suffered, when tenderness
and life
burned out of them?"
Apolitical intellectuals
of my sweet country,
you will not be able to answer.
A vulture of silence
will eat your gut.
Your own misery
will pick at your soul.
And you will be mute in your shame.
--Otto Rene Castillo
Also Satisfaction
Also Before the Scales, Tomorrow
http://www.marxists.org/subject/art/literature/castillo/
There's a more detailed biography here
Even Beneath This Bitterness
At the bottom of the night
the footsteps descend and retreat.
Shadows surround them.
Streets, drunks. Buildings.
Someone running away from himself.
A broken bottle, bleeding.
A widowed paper sailing around a corner.
A freethinker pissing on the grass,
where tomorrow the well-dressed children
will play
beneath the dew.
Far away something screams, dark metal, genital.
Asphalt and blind stones, sleeping air,
darkness, cold, police, cold, more police.
Streets, whores, drunks, buildings.
Police again, soldiers, again police.
The statistics say: for every 80,000 officers of the law
there is one doctor in Guatemala.
Then understand the misery of my country,
and my pain and everyone's pain.
If when I say: Bread!
they sayshut up!
and when I say: Liberty!
they sayDie!
But I don't shut up and I don't die.
I live
and fight, maddening
those who rule my country.
For if I live
I fight,
and if I fight
I contribute to the dawn.
And so victory is born
even in the bitterest hours.
― Otto René Castillo
Report of an Injustice
[P align="right"]For the past few days the personal belongings of Mrs.
Damiana Murcia widow of Garcia, 77 years of age, have
been out in the rain where they were thrown from her
humble living quarters located at 15 C Street, between
3rd and 4th, Zone 1.
(Radio newspaper Diario Minuto
first edition, Wednesday, June 10, 1964.)[/P align="right"]
Perhaps you can't believe it,
but here,
before my eyes,
an old woman,
Damiana Murcia widow of Garcia,
77 years of ashes,
under the rain,
beside her furniture,
broken, stained, old,
receives
on the curve of her back
all the monstrous injustice
of your system, and mine.
For being poor,
the judges of the rich
ordered eviction.
Perhaps you no longer
understand that word.
How noble the world
you live in!
Little by little
the bitterest words
lose their cruelty there.
And every day,
like the dawn,
new words emerge
all full of love
and tenderness for man.
Eviction,
how to explain it?
You know,
here when you can't pay the rent
the authorities of the rich
come and throw your things
in the street.
And you're left without roof
for the height of your dreams.
That's what it means, the word
eviction: loneliness
open to the sky, to
the eye that judges, misery.
This is the free world, they say.
What luck that you
no longer know
these liberties!
Damiana Murcia widow of Garcia
is very small,
and must be very cold.you know,
How great her loneliness!
You can't believe
how these injustices hurt.
They are the norm among us.
The abnormal is tenderness
and the hate of poverty.
And so today more than ever
I love your world,
I understand it,
its cosmic pride.I glorify
And I ask myself:
Why do the old
suffer among us so,
if age comes to us all
one day?
But the worst of it all
is the habit.
Man loses his humanity,
The enormous pain of another
is no longer his concern
and he forgets everything.and he eats
and he laughs
I don't want these things
for my country.
I don't want these things
for anyone.
I don't want these things
for anyone in the world.
because painAnd I say I
should carry
an indelible aura
This is the free world, they say.
Look at me.
And tell your friends
my laughter
has turned grotesque
in the middle of my face.
Tell them I love their world.
They should make it beautiful.
And I'm very glad
they no longer know
injustices
so deep and painful.
― Otto René Castillo
Public is now singing "Solo pido a díos"... while waiting for Montt to be handed to police
NISGUA ?@NISGUA_Guate 1m
Public is now singing "Solo pido a díos"... while waiting for #RíosMontt to be handed over to the police.
Courtroom singing "We only want to be human"
Courtroom has just broken into song "We only want to be human" #GenocideGT
El público empieza a cantar el poema musicalizado de Otto René Castillo. "Aquí solo queremos ser humanos", el auditorio.
Here's a youtube of a song to Otto René Castillo's poem
Waiting, waiting... The courtroom is packed. 10 more minutes now...
(these photos are from earlier in the week)
Bolivian Court Keeps Che Guevara's Assassin Under House Arrest
Bolivian Court Keeps Che Guevara's Assassin Under House Arrest
La Paz, May 10 (Prensa Latina) A Bolivian court has decided to keep former military Gary Pardo Salmon - one of those involved in the assassination of Argentinean-Cuban guerrilla leader Ernesto Che Guevara and accused of plotting against the Bolivian government - under house arrest.
The magistrates rejected the request to revoke the measures of preventive house arrest for Prado, one of 39 people involved in a terrorist group that tried to divide Bolivia into two different nations and kill current President Evo Morales, under the command of paramilitary Eduardo Rozsa.
...
The continuing of the trial is scheduled for Friday, and is one of the most controversial trials in Bolivia's history.
Prado Salmon was the responsible for the capture and identification of Che Guevara in 1967. He was the one who tied his hands, beat him and reported his arrest to the US Central Intelligence Agency.
http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1398771&Itemid=1
Zamba Del CHE by Victor Jara, another victim of the imperial rightwing.
Rios Montt Verdict Day. Sanchez statements. Verdict at 4PM Central today
Jose Mauricio Rodriguez Sanchez takes the stand.
José Mauricio Rodriguez Sanchez, head of intelligence under Montt, makes declaration at Genocide trial
- #JMRodriguezSanchez: The Pub Pros indicated I was linked for elaborating, supervising & executing Plans Victoria 82, Firmeza 83 & Sofia.
- #JMRodríguez: I have been imprisoned for 19 months & it hasn't been proven. I never did those plans.
= #JMRodríguez: I've had moral rectitude in my life.. you can ask everyone I know. I never supervised such a thing, against my principles.
- #JMRodríguez: The Public Prosecutor's own experts have said my position did not have command.
- #JMRodríguez in #GenocideGT closing statement: There's no document that says 'Mauricio Rodríguez sent people to kill so & so
- #JMRodríguez I was never in Ixil area during this time. I am innocent of all charges. I am innocent. I have no guilt.
- #JMRodríguez closes: I'm not guilty of anything, I'm innocent. I ask for freedom.
- #JMRodríguez: I've demonstrated that I've never designed a military camp, I've never been in the Ixil region, never.
- #JMRodríguez closes: I'm not guilty of anything, I'm innocent. I ask for freedom.
- Debate closed!
- Barrios strikes gavel on table.
- Judge Barrios just declared the #GenocideGT trial concluded, with a pound of her gavel.
- The #GenocideGT verdict in the trial against #RíosMontt & #JMRodriguez will be given at 4PM today.
- Many have chosen to hold their seats in Judge Barrios' courtroom, anticipating #GenocideGT verdict this afternoon.
Court adjourns for 5 hours. Verdict will be at 11pm (London) 3 pm (San Francisco) 4PM (Central/Guatemala) 6pm (Washington) 7PM (Brazil) time
Judge Flores's hearing is yet to begin. Press & public continue to file into her courtroom, in a neighboring building.
The OSJI trial monitoring team has gone to Tribunales to see what is happening at the hearing called by Judge Carol Patricia Flores.
President Santos refuses to receive the Venezuelan Opposition
In Bogotá the Venezuelan Opposition Was Not Received by President Santos
May 9, 2013. - Members of the Venezuelan Opposition led by Rep. Maria Corina Machado had hoped to enter the presidential palace to shout against the unity and strength of relations between Colombia and Venezuela. The squalid delegation was not received and had to take their rants against the Bolivarian revolutionary government of President Nicolas Maduro to the Republican Congress where their Uribe friends and Conservative MPs were.
It is clear that this rightwing opposition, funded and sponsored by the United States, wants to turn Colombia into a beachhead for the destabilization of the Venezuelan government. In the same vein, they insist on attacking the good relations between two brotherly peoples who prefer to continue to consolidate their economic, social and peace relations, said a Colombian parliamentarian.
Another failure in Colombia that adds another permanent defeat for the most recalcitrant rightwing opposition in Venezuela, he said.
http://www.aporrea.org/internacionales/n228511.html
Brazil and Venezuela ratify, strengthen their strategic alliance
Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff holds a photograph of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez given to her as a gift by Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro during a ceremony inside the Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, May 9, 2013. Maduro is visiting several South American countries this week. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Brazil and Venezuela ratify their strategic alliance
Brasilia, May 9 (Prensa Latina) The Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff, and Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, confirmed the strategic partnership between the two countries today and called for deepening existing cooperation in various economic sectors.
"Brazil has a strategic alliance with Venezuela and wants to deepen this cooperation in various areas, including food security," Rousseff stressed in statements to the press after holding a private dialogue with Maduro in the Planalto Presidential Palace.
She noted that with President Maduro of Venezuela, winner in the elections last April, "we will maintain the high level relationship we had with the emminent Hugo Chávez", who died in March.
"Today we reaffirm our commitment to a stronger relationship, a strategic partnership between our countries," Rousseff said noting that they had agreed to strengthen cooperation in the areas of food, energy, oil and agriculture, and supporting social development and building homes.
...
http://www.prensa-latina.cu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&idioma=1&id=1397001&Itemid=1
Peru's Ambassador to Venezuela Resigns Under Pressure from Lawmakers
May 9, 2013, 9:18 a.m. ET
Peru's Ambassador to Venezuela Resigns Under Pressure from Lawmakers
By Ryan Dube
LIMA, Peru--The Peruvian ambassador to Venezuela has resigned after a legislative committee called for his removal over accusations that he was overly supportive of Venezuela's government and not representing Peru's interests in Caracas.
Luis Raygada came under fire after criticizing opposition lawmakers in Peru for meeting in Lima with political opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was named the winner of a highly contested election in April.
...
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20130509-709082.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Tahoe Resources Mining exec in Guatemala gave direct orders to kill protestors "God damn dogs"
Thursday, 09 May 2013 15:35 The Guatemala Times
Alberto Rotondo, executive of Tahoe Mine, San Rafael in Guatemala, gave direct orders to assassinate members of the community San Rafael Las Flores.
The investigation of the mining conflicts in San Rafael Las Flores, Santa Rosa, took a 180 degrees turn, after the Public Ministry submitted audio from wiretapping as evidence. In the audio it can be clearly heard how Alberto Rotondo, head of the San Rafael Mining Security outfit ordered to assassinate opponents of the mine.
The newspaper Siglo.21 published today a report titled Rotondo ordered: Kill those sons of B.., the report documents how the Security Chief gave direct orders to assassinate mining protesters and opponents of the mining project.
...
Rortondo was apprehended at the airport La Aurora, when he trying to flee the country. Wire tapping of conversations between him and his son reveal that he planned to leave Guatemala for a while, because I ordered to kill some of these sons of Bitches.
Sources: La Hora Guatemala, Siglo XXI.
http://www.guatemala-times.com/news/guatemala/3653-tahoe-resources-mining-executive-in-guatemala-gives-direct-orders-to-kill-protestors.html
Interesting comment underneath, from a gringo probably because guatemala times is a paper for/by gringos,
corantes@siglo21.com.gt
Rotondo ordered: Kill those sons of a ...
Wiretap allowed criminal charges against the security chief of the mine
"Kill those sons of a ...". That's one of the instructions Alberto Rotondo, Chief of Mine Security in San Rafael gave his subordinates. He was recorded by an authorized use of wiretaps by prosecutors.
...
The preliminary investigations found that Rotondo gave the order to attack the community, he also ordered the crime scene to be cleaned up and change the police report.
The recordings were made by Juan Pablo Oliva, who, according to the San Rafael mine consults for media monitoring and security within the premises.
...
The information reveals Rotondo making several statements: God dam dogs, they do not understand that the mine generates jobs". "We must eliminate these animal pieces of shit". "We can not allow people to establish resistance, another Puya no".
...
http://www.s21.com.gt/nacionales/2013/05/09/rotondo-ordeno-maten-esos-hijos-gran
Guatemalan doctors are on record that live ammunition was fired, not rubber bullets.
CONTRAST THIS WITH
Back to News
VANCOUVER, B.C. (May 1, 2013) Tahoe Resources Inc. (TSX: THO, NYSE: TAHO) has issued this statement to clarify inaccurate media reports about violent incidents that have broken out in recent days in the region around its Escobal silver project in southeast Guatemala.
...
During the evening shift change of Saturday, April 27, 2013, a protest involving approximately 20 people armed with machetes turned hostile. The Escobal security force used tear gas and rubber bullets to repel the protestors at the mine gate. These individuals left the area following this incident and some were treated at hospitals and released.
Our investigation has shown that only non-lethal measures were taken by our security. We regret any injuries caused by rubber bullets, but we take the protection of our employees and the mine seriously, said Mr. McArthur. The government is investigating the incident with the Companys full cooperation.
...
Tahoes Guatemala security manager was detained by authorities on Tuesday due to the highly charged atmosphere and inaccurate press reports about Saturdays events. He has not been charged with any crimes, and the Company expects him to be released when the government investigation is complete.
...
http://www.tahoeresourcesinc.com/tahoe-clarifies-reports-regarding-incidents-near-escobal-project/
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Name: CatherinaGender: Female
Member since: Mon Mar 3, 2008, 03:08 PM
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