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Pacheco was one of the most authoritative and recognized voices in this civic feat, and today many analysts believe that the civil resistance that prevented the fraud attempt and allowed the takeover of the Arevalo-Herrera duo would not have been possible without the participation of traditional indigenous political structures such as the 48 states, the Solola Indigenous Mayors and the Xinca Popular Assembly, to name a few. Therefore, the inclusion of Pacheco in the cabinet of Bernardo Arevalo is good news, as it demonstrates gratitude to those who made the failure of the coup possible, as well as a clear link to the popular base that brought Arevalo to the presidency.
Now, Pacheco’s appointment has not been immune to critical voices. Some have commented, with undisguised venom, that this designation clearly shows that the support of Pacheco and the 48 states, if not the support of the entire indigenous community, is not based on a real desire to defend the democratic system, but on an ambition to obtain a position in the government. These people should be reminded that in the first weeks of his administration, Arevalo was severely criticized for not granting government positions to the main leaders of the protests, which critics at the time believed meant that the President had been forgotten by those supporters who had brought him to power at the most critical moment. It is therefore difficult not to be unbelievable that when the President grants a government position to a recognized indigenous leader, both are accused of participating in a crude game of political favors. That is, it is not good if he does not grant the position, and it is not good if he does. This is further proof of the excessive desire that prevails among certain social sectors to criticize in a non-constructive way and to find every flaw in the behavior of the newly-inaugurated authorities.
On the other hand, it was also pointed out that Pacheco was not prepared for this position, since academically he only had a closed course in law. Another group should be told that for decades, the 48 states have been responsible for the management of the Totonicapán Community Forest, a very successful forestry initiative that has been the subject of several studies, so anyone who heads the 48 states has a deep knowledge in natural resource management. To this, we must add the fact that one of the functions of the deputy ministry now headed by Pacheco is precisely to act as a link between the inhabitants of the different communities of the country and the companies that intend to carry out extractive activities that could put natural resources at risk. This would allow these companies to comply with all the international standards of respect for human rights and community regulations, or they would be arrested if they did not fully comply with these parameters. From the above, it is clear that Pacheco’s qualifications make him a qualified person for the position to which he has been appointed.
(frasepzp1)
The harsh criticism of this appointment by some circles reveals two phenomena that deserve analysis and discussion. First, the difficulty that certain groups of people face in understanding the importance of any citizen’s participation in politics and becoming part of the government. There is a deep-rooted notion that politics is inherently dirty and that an honest, efficient, and capable citizen should stay away from it as much as possible. This presents a serious dilemma, which is that there will never be honest, efficient, and capable people in public offices, so they will be occupied by corrupt people driven by dark interests, because both nature and politics abhor a vacuum. This idea that conscientious citizens must devote themselves to civil society and oppose at the forefront of civil society can become harmful because it prevents outstanding people in society from holding public administrative positions in certain situations, and ultimately turns people into those who criticize everything mechanically and out of habit.
On the other hand, the antibodies raised by Pacheco indicate the distrust of some sectors of society towards the participation of indigenous peoples in high government positions. This points directly to a vile racism that, despite the fact that some people categorically refuse to accept it, permeates all levels of our society. The fact is that since the entry of democracy in Guatemala, the participation of indigenous peoples in the different governments has been limited to positions that can be considered symbolic, as is the case with the Ministry of Culture and Sports (MICUDE), or directly related to the issues on its agenda, such as the Commission against Discrimination and Racism (CODISRA).
In the case of MICUDE, the portfolio of ministers has varied from the distinguished Otilia Lux de Coti, who managed well, to Jerónimo Lancerio and the elder Vargas Suchite, who have been accused of corruption. However, the participation of indigenous representatives in government has not gone beyond these instances, so the arrival of Pacheco in a ministry as strategically important as MEM should be celebrated as an achievement of inclusion of leaders of the various sectors of the indigenous population. Guatemala reports to the highest levels of government, which is the right step to get Guatemala out of the quagmire left by previous governments.
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