The naturist Domingo Choc Che has been violently and publicly murdered in the Chimay village, 377 in Guatemala City, accused of “warlock”. A mob of residents of Chimay set fire to Choc after accusing him of being a “sorcerer” and of having caused the death of a local neighbor.
The Guatemalan ombudsman Jordán Rodas, head of the Human Rights Ombudsman (PDH), assured this Sunday night that Choc “was recognized and appreciated by the scientific community as an expert in natural medicine; I was part of a transdisciplinary team in research and development projects at the University of Zürich in Switzerland, University College London in England and the Universidad Del Valle in Guatemala. “
Thus, Rhodes has regretted that the State has not yet incorporated into its public policies “strategies for the prevention and persecution of lynchings“and has condemned the public murder of the natural medicine expert, who was” committed to preserving and transmitting his ancient knowledge. “
Jordán Rodas asked the National Civil Police “recover the body of the victim“as well as” restoring order and guaranteeing the life and safety of the inhabitants of the Chimay village, in San Luis Petén. ”
He also suggested to the Public Ministry (Prosecutor’s Office) “carry out the corresponding investigations and clarify the facts, in order to determine those responsible for the violation of the right to life of Mr. Domingo Choc Che. ”
Finally, he asked the population of the Central American country “privilege dialogue for conflict resolution and transformation“and expressed his solidarity and” my heartfelt condolences with family, friends and members of the national and international scientific community, of which Mr. Choc Che was a prominent part. ”
The ‘epidemic’ of violence in Guatemala
According to a report from the Mutual Support Group, a humanitarian organization that emerged in Guatemala 36 years ago, lynchings caused at least 348 deaths between 2008 and 2018.
In the opinion of that organization, lynchings have represented a culture of violence, pain and death; and it is a phenomenon that until now has not been managed by the authorities, “violence is increasing every day, mainly the deaths caused by these acts, which far from solving a problem intensify the scale of the conflict.”
The violent death rate in the Central American country per 100,000 inhabitants is 21. Last year, the Guatemalan Interior Ministry recorded 3,578 homicides, most of them perpetrated with firearms.
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers that there is an “epidemic” of violence in a territory when rates of more than 10 homicides are registered for every 100,000 inhabitants.
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