HALIFAX: Two former residents of Inverness County are back in Canada after being stranded in South America in the midst of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic.
On March 23, three volunteers with the Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS) landed in Canada, ending a weeks-long ordeal to return home from Guatemala. The women were working with BTS partner organizations and communities in Guatemala, as part of the organization’s Human Rights and Community Development Cooperant Program.
Originally from Halifax and Mabou, Ingio Christ arrived in Guatemala in February and was carrying out human rights observation in support of the Xinka Parliament, Diocesan Committee in Defense of Nature, and the Peaceful Resistance of Casillas and Mataquescuintla opposing Pan-American Silver’s Escobal mine.
On March 14, BTS made the decision to cut placements short and send volunteers back to Canada in response to the global outbreak of COVID-19. Due to border closures announced by the Guatemalan government on March 16, cancelled flights, and a lack of consular support from the Canadian government, BTS volunteers were unable to return to Canada. Multiple BTS requests for consular support, most recently a letter addressed to Foreign Affairs Minister Champagne on March 20, went unanswered.
Facing these challenges, the three volunteers with the support of BTS, decided they would travel via ground transportation from Guatemala City to Mexico on March 22, then catch flights to Canada from there.
“We knew that making the journey back to Canada through Mexico came with its own set of risks,” said Christ. “I am so grateful that the taxis, border-crossings and flights went smoothly and that we are back home now.”
On March 24, BTS Guatemala coordinator Lisa Rankin returned to Canada through a similar route and with no consular support. She is currently staying at a cottage in Mabou Harbour under self-quarantine.
“I had to drive to the border with Mexico, and then walk across the border, then fly from the border town closest to Guatemala,” Rankin explained to The Reporter. “Then from Mexico City to Toronto, and then Toronto to Halifax.”
Rankin said that after the Guatemalan government closed the country in mid-March, she was barely able to get a delegation from the Public Service Alliance of Canada out of the country.
“I wanted to stay but I’m going fishing with my father… so I had to come back,” Rankin explained. “I feel like I’m very, very lucky that I have so much support from my family and friends to make sure I was able to travel back home, but of course, many people don’t have that support.”
It was fortunate she received the help she did, because Rankin said she received zero support from the Canadian government.
“At one point, there was a charter flight organized by individuals that I didn’t hear about until the flight was already full,” Rankin recalled.
On March 23, the Canadian Embassy in Guatemala tweeted that they were in the process of coordinating a one-way flight to Canada from Guatemala on March 27 but they didn’t have more details and one BTS staff member remains in the country.
BTS called on the Canadian Embassy to ensure that all Canadians currently stranded in Guatemala are able to return home. BTS also calls for ongoing support to Canadian citizens who stay behind in Guatemala.
“Even though I barely made it home, I remain committed to making sure that everyone who wants to leave… that they have that option,” Rankin added.