Rigoberta Menchu, Rosalina Tuyuc, and Laura Reyes: Contemporary Maya Women in Guatemalan Politics

This Master's thesis analyzes the role of notable human rights activists, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Rosalina Tuyuc Velasquez, and Laura Reyes Quino, examining their directed efforts toward relieving the plight of the Mayan people in Guatemala facing genocide. Placing into perspective the obstacles, challenges, achievements, and distinct personal pathways they took to orient themselves inside prominent international and local political spaces. Following the height of the Guatemalan civil war (1981-1983) and increased violence towards indigenous people, Mayas started to take a more prominent role in politics. Indigenous women began to take up important positions in politics and activism, subverting both the expectations that indigenous people and the marginalization of women by the state. In sum, this thesis examines the ways in which Menchu, Tuyuc, and Reyes worked to break down social and political barriers in place in Guatemala, adding a new perspective to the current narrative of the Pan-Mayan social and political movements in the post-war nation.