On May 25 and 26, Be Just, together with Cibaque, Fundebase, Alianza por las Reformas, Visibles, and Moloj, organized a gathering so that those of us who have been observing the selection processes for justices of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the Constitutional Court, and the Attorney General could meet, listen to one another, and reflect together on what comes next.
The meeting, which we called “From Observation to Action,” brought together about 40 people, including members of indigenous communities—among them, representatives from the 48 cantons—independent journalists, and members of urban civil society organizations. What unites us is a shared experience: that of having closely observed how those who hold power in the highest echelons of the Guatemalan justice system are selected.
Day One: Open Up, Reflect, and Learn
The first day was devoted to creating the conditions for an open, honest, and vulnerable conversation. We created spaces for emotional connection and sharing experiences, starting with a simple yet powerful question: Why do we do what we do?
We then moved on to an exercise based on collective memory, answering four questions that allowed us to make sense of our experiences:
1. What should I keep for next time?
2. What went wrong?
3. What worked?
4. What did we need but didn't get?
Day Two: Analysis, Strategy, and Coordinated action
On the second day, we created a timeline of the past year and what lies ahead, with the goal of identifying warning signs, lessons learned, and opportunities for collective action.
The questions that guided the discussion were: “What will we do within our own spheres?” and “How can we support other people and organizations?” The answers were not uniform, and that was part of the point. Each actor comes from their own territory, their own community, and with their own capabilities. Coordinated action does not mean uniformity; it means finding the points where efforts reinforce one another.
This gathering taught us many lessons, but above all, it reminded us that although the road to 2027 is a long one, we will travel it together.
