Rodrigo Tot

Rodrigo Tot (born c.1958) is a farmer and indigenous leader in Guatemala.

Rodrigo Tot
Bornc.1958
Laj Chimel, Quiché, Guatemala
NationalityGuatemalan
EducationNone
Occupationfarmer and indigenous leader
Years active1974–present
AwardsGoldman Environmental Prize

He is a member of the Q'eqchi' people. Tot was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2017, for his efforts of protecting the land of his community from environmental damages from mining.[1][2]

Early life

Tot was born in Quiché, Guatemala just before the mining rush of the 60s. Tot lost both of his parents at a young age and went to live with extended family in Agua Caliente at age 12.[3]

Career

Farming

In 1985, Tot, along with 63 other indigenous farmers in his community, received a property title to work on the land in their community. Three years later, however, records of these titles disappeared, and, when the final payments for the title were made, the people were denied the legal title of the land.

In 2004, two years after the farmers were denied the right to their land, the Guatemalan government granted a mining license for a region covering 16 Mayan communities. After the mining takeover, the Q'eqchi set out to fight for their land rights in court. In 2011, the group won their lawsuit and the Guatemalan Constitutional Court issued a landmark decision that recognized the Q'eqchi people's property rights.[4]

References
  1. Salabert, Shawnté. "These 6 Activists Are Risking It All in the Name of Environmental Justice". outsideonline.com. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  2. "Rodrigo Tot. 2017 Goldman Prize Recipient South and Central America". goldmanprize.org. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  3. http://www.goldmanprize.org/recipient/rodrigo-tot/
  4. Leveille, David (24 April 2017). "A Guatemalan indigenous land rights activist wins the Goldman Environmental Prize". pri.org.


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