René
and Danilo dreamed of a country where all
children would have the opportunity to play,
grow up healthy, study, and laugh; a country
where all people would have the opportunity
to work, to have a house, and to live a
dignified life. Their clarity of thought
led them to openly identify with the struggle
of the Guatemalan people for liberty and
justice against the great inequalities and
injustices that exist in this country. For
this reason the security forces captured
René and Danilo, tortured them and
killed them.
As a result
of international pressure, the Guatemalan
government was forced to investigate this
political crime. The police chief of the
Department of Quetzaltenango and five police
officers were arrested and sentenced to
thirty years in prison. For the first time
in the sad history of this country, members
of the government's security forces were
convicted of a political crime.
Despite
a great deal of evidence against the six
police officers, however, they were released
two years later for the supposed lack of
evidence. A thorough investigation to identify
and capture the intellectual authors of
the crime was never conducted. René
and Danilo are part of a generation of students
who endured a brutal struggle for freedom
and justice in Guatemala.
In 1988
Guatemala was still a country at war, racking
up a huge number of human rights violations
and creating fear among the populace owing
to the violent reprisals and threats made
against those who struggled for a more equal
society (a peace agreement was signed between
the government and the guerrilla forces
in December, 1996). The collective and staff
of PLQE dedicated themselves to educating
their students, who come from all over the
world, about the political situation in
their country. Profits from the school have
supported a number of human rights organizations,
projects, and rural communities struggling
to improve their situation and improve the
lives of poor Guatemalans.
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