La Alianza por la Vida y la Paz: 

La Alianza de Petén para la Vida y la Paz creció de un esfuerzo colectivo para resolver ciertos problemas históricos (distribución de la tierra, la exclusión de las mujeres y los pueblos indígenas, falta de educación y los servicios de salud, ETC.) and to address the threat of neo-liberal policies that directly affect the population of Petén. This alliance represents 25 organizations from the department of Petén in Guatemala, and made it’s first public appearance on International Resistance Day of Indigenous Peoples, October 12th, 2002. Since the signing of the Peace Accords, on December 29, 1996, the living conditions of the poor majority haven’t improved and the causes or origins of the internal conflict haven’t been resolved. This reality brought the participating organizations together to strengthen the Popular Movement and the struggle.

On International Day Against Dams, March 14th of 2004, the Alliance launched an information campaign which centers on the Plan Puebla Panamá (PPP), and whose central slogan is “Water, Corn, and Land are Ours” (Agua, Maíz, y Tierra son Nuestros).

WATER: in opposition to the privatization of water and dam building.
CORN: for food sovereignty (in terms of self-sufficiency, self-determination) and against genetically altered corn.
LAND: for the just land distribution.

Since the launching of the “Water, Corn and Land are Ours” campaign, the Alliance has begun a “Solidarity Economy” project in 2009 which links progressive communities in different regions of Guatemala and establishes direct trade relationships. By trading directly with each other, campesinos in both communities can benefit by getting more for their agricultural products as producers and also save as consumers. For example, tomatoes and cucumbers grown in Chimaltenango are shipped by truck to Peten communities. On the return trip, the trucks haul corn and black beans produced in the Peten back to Chimaltenango. Coyotes, or middlemen who exploit campesinos that have no power in the marketplace, are bypassed completely and communities benefit by trading directly with each other in this way.