COVID-19 – Guatemala

The first case of Covid-19 was confirmed on March 13th, and by May 9th, there were 900 cases and 24 deaths. Government Decree 6-2020 establishes new government measures to address the pandemic: a curfew from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. Organizations of…

April 9, 2020

The first case of Covid-19 was confirmed on March 13, and as of May 9, there were 900 cases and 24 deaths.

Government Decree 6-2020 establishes new government measures to address the pandemic: a curfew from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Civil society organizations such as Redmmutrans Guatemala, Trans Reinas de la Noches, and the trans men's collective Trans-Formación have issued statements requesting solidarity support from society and calling on the central government and the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office to take action. They are requesting consideration for the protection of the human rights of trans people who may be quarantined in field hospitals coordinated by the central government, ensuring that their gender identity is not violated.

On March 20, Ilse Janeth, from the "El Trébol" collective of transgender sex workers in Guatemala City, issued a call for solidarity on social media regarding the worsening situation of sex work they face due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The response was swift, and several civil society organizations, including Otrans Reinas de la Noche and the Trans-Formación collective of transgender men, began collecting food supplies for this sector of the LGBTIQ+ community.

“We need social and humanitarian services for the transgender sex worker population in various parts of Guatemala. Remember that everyone talks about everyone else and expresses their needs, but we, as human beings who live from sex work , live day to day and have to eat, pay rent, electricity, water, and other bills. And what work is there for us transgender women if not for social, political, and religious rejection? The pandemic is spreading, and it's necessary to stay home, but who will do it for us? There are elderly transgender women who have no family, others live on the streets. That's why, sisters, we must pray to God; He is the only one who can help us. He gives us the wound and the cure. Let's be vigilant. We love you all very much. Many blessings to everyone,” Ilse Janeth of the “El Trébol” collective posted on her social media.

Yesterday, March 25th, the organization Otrans Reinas de la Noche delivered food and other donations to transgender sex workers from the "El Trébol" collective. Ilse Janeth, president of the collective, told this publication that some transgender women go out to work earlier in the day, while those who work at night, like herself, have not been able to go out.

Aid coordination

Galilea Monroy de León, from the organization Redmmutrans Guatemala, told Presentes that they are coordinating the distribution of 350 prevention kits to transgender women in 11 departments of the country, each containing two face masks, a 240 ml bottle of hand sanitizer, and a package of disposable towels. This work is being done in conjunction with the organization Otrans, which has also distributed food baskets to 45 transgender women in the "El Trébol" area, Zone 7, Bethania neighborhood, and Zone 1 of Guatemala City. Food baskets were also delivered to five transgender women incarcerated at the Preventive Detention Center in Zone 18 of Guatemala City.

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