Latest news with #Guatemala
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Nearly 3,000-year-old Mayan city unearthed. Why it's named 'The Grandparents'
An international team of archaeologists has announced the discovery of a nearly 3,000-year-old ancient Mayan city in a northeastern region of Guatemala known for its tropical forests and ruins. The site Los Abuelos, Spanish for 'The Grandparents," was a ritual center for the entire region, the country's culture ministry said in a statement May 29, and home to one of the oldest and most prominent Mayan shrines yet discovered. It takes its name from the discovery of two human-like sculptures found at the site, called an "ancestral couple" by researchers. The city, along with two other nearby sites, Petnal and Cambrayal, constitute an urban triangle researchers say are key discoveries in the study of the origins of Mayan society in the Petén region of northern Guatemala, which borders Mexico and Belize. "The discovery of the city called Los Abuelos stands out for its ancient characteristics and its exceptional features of historical value, which contribute significantly to the understanding of the Mayan civilization," the ministry said in the statement. The Mayans lived in modern-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras, with origins dating back 4,000 years, around 2,000 B.C, with the heart of its empire based in Guatemala's tropical lowlands. Northern Guatemala's Petén Province, where the ruins were found, is a large forest region with thousands of architectural and artistic remains of the Mayan civilization. They date from the Preclassic Period of 600 B.C. to the decline and eventual collapse of the empire's urban centers around 900 A.D., according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO. More: Lasers reveal Mayan civilization of 'unimaginable scale' More archaeological news: Iron Age find: British 'bling' from 2,000 years ago included horse harnesses Archaeologists found Los Abuelos was occupied as early as 800 B.C., Guatemala's culture ministry said, which makes the city more than 2,800 years old. In a palace in the nearby settlement of Cambrayal, archaeologists found what they call a sophisticated system of canals, the statement said, and in Petnal, they found a 108-foot pyramid with murals. The excavation was funded in part by the Comenius University of Bratislava, Slovakia, under the direction of Dr. Milan Kovác, and aided by an international consortium of researchers and supporters. The discoveries are part of the wider Uaxactún Archaeological Project, a 17-year effort to expand archaeological research across a 460-square-mile area surrounding the original Uaxactun archaeological site. Los Abuelos is roughly 13 miles northeast of Uaxactún. Uaxactun is one of the earliest archaeological sites in the Mayan lowlands, according to the World Monuments Fund, and became a foundation for modern Mesoamerican studies when formal research into the site began in 1924. It lies within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Tikal National Park, though it does not get nearly as many visitors as the nearby Tikal site. It was included on the 2014 World Monuments Watch, a list curated by the nonprofit organization to highlight monuments facing urgent challenges and preservation opportunities. Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@ and on X @KathrynPlmr. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ancient Maya city unearthed in Guatemala
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
The World's Best Ultra-Aged Rum, According To The SF World Spirit Competition
The Ultra-Aged Rum Finalists From The 2025 SFWSC Eight rums are finalists, five for the World's Best Aged Rum 5 Years & Older, and three for World's Best Overproof Rum at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The SFWSC is one of the world's most prestigious spirit judging events, and both consumers and the beverage industry closely follow its results. Below are brief backgrounds and tasting notes for the finalists. Cartavio XO is a premium rum from Peru, crafted by Destilerías Unidas. It's a blend of rums aged up to 18 years, matured in a solera system using American, French, and Slovenian oak casks. It reflects Peru's balanced, elegant rum style, which is less sweet than its counterparts in South and Central America, with a greater influence from its dry Andean terroir. The rum is refined and smooth on the palate, featuring aromas of dried fig, orange zest, vanilla, and old leather. It's soft and full-bodied on the palate, showcasing roasted nuts, baking spices, cocoa powder, and caramel with a subtle tannic dryness. The finish is long and layered, with lingering notes of cedar, caramel, and dark chocolate. Ron Zacapa 23 is a renowned Guatemalan rum crafted from virgin sugarcane syrup, aged in a solera system for up to 23 years in ex-bourbon, sherry, and Pedro Ximénez casks. Aged at an altitude of over 7,500 feet in the highlands of Quetzaltenango, it is known for its sweet, velvety character. The rum is aromatic and lush on the nose, featuring caramelized banana, raisin, vanilla, baking spice, and brown sugar. It's silky and sweet on the palate, showcasing notes of molasses, toffee, dried fruit, cinnamon, and a hint of cherry liqueur. The finish is long and semi-sweet, with lingering notes of vanilla and toasted oak. This expression blends rums from Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad, aged up to 15 years. It's a celebration of Caribbean and South American rum terroirs, combining pot and column still influences. The rum is complex and layered on the nose, featuring molasses, ripe plantain, vanilla, orange zest, and cocoa nibs. It's dry and fruity, showcasing tropical fruit, roasted nuts, allspice, brown sugar, and burnt caramel. The finish is medium in length, with lingering notes of fruit, spices, and seasoned wood. Elegant tray with two glasses of rum, cuban cigars, chocolate and coffee beans. The tray is adorned with tobacco leaves. This XO expression is a blend of rums aged in Barbados and finished in French cognac casks at Maison Ferrand. Initially crafted to celebrate Alexandre Gabriel's 20th anniversary as master blender, it represents the classic Planteray style of tropical richness and French refinement. The rum is rich and aromatic, with notes of ripe banana, coconut, tobacco leaf, vanilla, and a hint of spice cake. It's smooth and robust on the palate, expressing notes of dried fruit, crème brûlée, nutmeg, toasted almond, and a hint of fresh grape must. The finish is long and elegant, with lingering tropical fruit, soft baking spices, and seasoned oak. Puerto Rico's oldest rum brand, Ron del Barrilito 3 Stars, is a solera-style rum aged 6 to 10 years in ex-Oloroso sherry barrels. Unlike many rums from the region, it is unsweetened, showcasing a drier, more structured profile. The rum is fruity and dry on the nose, featuring toasted walnut, dried apricot, cinnamon and clove spice, seasoned oak, and Sherry aromas. It's smooth and complex on the palate, showcasing candied orange zest, roasted nuts, seasoned oak, dried fruit, and cocoa powder. The finish is long and layered, with lingering notes of caramelized citrus, nutmeg, and seasoned wood. Worthy Park Overproof is a 100% pot-still Jamaican rum. It's made from a combination of molasses and cane juice distillates. Aged for several years in ex-bourbon barrels, this is an ester-rich expression of traditional Jamaican rum, featuring bold tropical and grassy character. The rum is intense and funky, with notes of green banana, overripe pineapple, olive brine, and pronounced aromas of molasses and pepper. It's robust and very flavorful on the palate, with an oily texture and a notable mouth weight, showcasing classic Jamaican funk flavors, herbaceous cane juice, charred oak, brown and burnt sugar, and clove. The finish is long and fruity, with lingering notes of spice and herbal funk. Liberty & Plenty Distillery is a North Carolina craft distiller producing Caribbean-style rums under the Cap & Cane Spirits brand. This Overproof Rum blends high-ester molasses-based rum and lighter distillates. It's intended for cocktail applications, particularly tropical and classic rum punches. The nose is fresh and vibrant, featuring notes of sugarcane, lemon peel, and vanilla, with subtle earthy and funky undertones. It's smooth and remarkably well-balanced for an overproof rum, showcasing toasted coconut, light esters, citrus, and slight spice notes. The finish is long and slightly peppery, with lingering notes of herbaceous cane, dried fruits, and seasoned wood. O.F.T.D. is a Royal Navy-style rum developed by Planteray. According to the company, 'Alexandre Gabriel, our award-winning cellar master, scoured rum-joints around the world to find six grizzled old salts and together, they came up with this blend. The rum, sourced from Guyana, Jamaica, and Barbados, captures the intensity and richness of classic navy-strength rums. The rum is robust and aromatic, featuring molasses, coffee bean, ripe banana, burnt orange, and clove. It's smooth and syrupy on the palate, showcasing dark sugar, black licorice, charred oak, baking spice, and a pronounced note of tropical funk. The finish is long and flavorful, with lingering notes of dark fruit, anise, and espresso. These rums are flavorful and intense, presenting a broad array of intense flavors and textures. They can be used to craft potent cocktails and are also outstanding sipping rums. They offer a diverse range of aroma and flavor profiles. If you're a rum enthusiast, these rums are well worth exploring.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Guatemala jails ex-paramilitaries for 40 years over rapes during civil war
A top Guatemalan court has sentenced three former paramilitaries to 40 years each in prison after they were found guilty of raping six Indigenous women between 1981 and 1983, one of the bloodiest periods of the Central American nation's civil war. The conviction and sentencing on Friday mark another significant step towards attaining justice for the Maya Achi Indigenous women, who were sexually abused by pro-government armed groups, during a period of extreme bloodshed between the military and left-wing rebels that left as many as 200,000 dead or missing. Former Civil Self-Defence Patrol members Pedro Sanchez, Simeon Enriquez and Felix Tum were found guilty of crimes against humanity for sexually assaulting six members of the Maya Achi group, Judge Maria Eugenia Castellanos said. 'The women recognised the perpetrators, they recognised the places where the events took place. They were victims of crimes against humanity,' she said, praising the women's bravery in coming to court to testify on repeated occasions. 'They are crimes of solitude that stigmatise the woman. It is not easy to speak of them,' the judge said. Indigenous lawyer Haydee Valey, who represented the women, said the sentence was 'historic' because it finally recognised the struggle of civil war survivors who had demanded justice for decades. Several Maya Achi women in the courtroom applauded at the end of the trial, where some dressed in traditional attire and others listened to the verdict through an interpreter. One of the victims, a 62-year-old woman, told the AFP news agency she was 'very happy' with the verdict. Pedro Sanchez, one of the three men convicted, told the court before the sentencing, 'I am innocent of what they are accusing me of.' But Judge Marling Mayela Gonzalez Arrivillaga, another member of the all-women, three-panel court, said there was no doubt about the women's testimony against the suspects. The convictions were second in the Maya Achi women's case against former military personnel and paramilitaries. The first trial, which took place in January 2022, saw five former paramilitaries sentenced to 30 years in prison. Advocacy group Impunity Watch said the case 'highlights how the Guatemalan army used sexual violence as a weapon of war against Indigenous women' during the civil conflict. In 2016, a Guatemalan court sentenced two former military officers for holding 15 women from the Q'eqchi community, who are also of Maya origin, as sex slaves. Both officers were sentenced to a combined 360 years in prison.
Al Jazeera
9 hours ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
Guatemala jails ex-paramilitaries for 40 years over rapes during civil war
A top Guatemalan court has sentenced three former paramilitaries to 40 years each in prison after they were found guilty of raping six Indigenous women between 1981 and 1983, one of the bloodiest periods of the Central American nation's civil war. The conviction and sentencing on Friday mark another significant step towards attaining justice for the Maya Achi Indigenous women, who were sexually abused by pro-government armed groups, during a period of extreme bloodshed between the military and left-wing rebels that left as many as 200,000 dead or missing. Former Civil Self-Defence Patrol members Pedro Sanchez, Simeon Enriquez and Felix Tum were found guilty of crimes against humanity for sexually assaulting six members of the Maya Achi group, Judge Maria Eugenia Castellanos said. 'The women recognised the perpetrators, they recognised the places where the events took place. They were victims of crimes against humanity,' she said, praising the women's bravery in coming to court to testify on repeated occasions. 'They are crimes of solitude that stigmatise the woman. It is not easy to speak of them,' the judge said. Indigenous lawyer Haydee Valey, who represented the women, said the sentence was 'historic' because it finally recognised the struggle of civil war survivors who had demanded justice for decades. Several Maya Achi women in the courtroom applauded at the end of the trial, where some dressed in traditional attire and others listened to the verdict through an interpreter. One of the victims, a 62-year-old woman, told the AFP news agency she was 'very happy' with the verdict. Pedro Sanchez, one of the three men convicted, told the court before the sentencing, 'I am innocent of what they are accusing me of.' But Judge Marling Mayela Gonzalez Arrivillaga, another member of the all-women, three-panel court, said there was no doubt about the women's testimony against the suspects. The convictions were second in the Maya Achi women's case against former military personnel and paramilitaries. The first trial, which took place in January 2022, saw five former paramilitaries sentenced to 30 years in prison. Advocacy group Impunity Watch said the case 'highlights how the Guatemalan army used sexual violence as a weapon of war against Indigenous women' during the civil conflict. In 2016, a Guatemalan court sentenced two former military officers for holding 15 women from the Q'eqchi community, who are also of Maya origin, as sex slaves. Both officers were sentenced to a combined 360 years in prison.
Free Malaysia Today
10 hours ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Ex-Guatemalan paramilitaries jailed for raping indigenous women
The former paramilitaries were found guilty of raping six indigenous women between 1981 and 1983. (EPA Images pic) GUATEMALA CITY : A top Guatemalan court today sentenced three former paramilitaries each to 40 years in prison after they were found guilty of raping six indigenous women between 1981 and 1983, the bloodiest period of the Central American nation's civil war. The trial against the former members of the so-called civil self-defence patrol, armed groups recruited by the army, began four months ago. 'The soldiers arrived late at night, threw me onto the ground and raped me,' Paulina Ixpata, a Maya Achi woman, said during the trial. Prosecutors presented more than 160 pieces of evidence against the men. 'That's how the whole night went,' Ixpata said, recounting how she was held for 25 days by the military patrol. Judge Maria Eugenia Castellanos sentenced the three for crimes against humanity in the form of sexual violence. 'The women recognised the perpetrators, they recognised the places where the events took place. They were victims of crimes against humanity,' she said. This is the second trial in the so-called Maya Achi case, and follows reports of sexual violence filed between 2011 and 2015 by 36 victims against former military personnel, military commissioners and civilian self-defence patrol members. The first trial, which took place in January 2022, saw five former patrol members sentenced to 30 years in prison. They remain incarcerated. In 2016, a Guatemalan court sentenced two former military officers for holding 15 women from the Q'eqchi community, who are also of Maya origin, as sex slaves at the Sepur Zarco military base, a landmark case that marked the first convictions in Guatemala of military officers for wartime rape. Both officers were sentenced to a combined 360 years in prison, where they remain incarcerated. The court also stipulated a reparations programme, whose progress remains limited despite advocacy by the 15 women who were at the trial, known as the 'Grandmothers of Sepur Zarco'.
