A Bit of History

In the history of a country with a frequently violent past, one man stands out for his devotion to peace. Dominican priest Bartolomé de Las Casas (1484–1566) crusaded tirelessly in opposition to the atrocities committed by Spanish colonists against indigenous peoples and advocated for an end to their use as slaves. Though more frequently associated with neighboring Mexico—in his honor, his name was appended to that of southern Mexico's indigenous city par excellence, San Cristóbal de las Casas—the priest's ideals were tested strongly here in Las Verapaces. As the home of the Rabinal Maya, one of the most feared indigenous groups in Mesoamerica, the region was the site of fierce fighting in the early 1500s. Spanish colonists were unable to overcome the Rabinal with brute force, but their atrocities against the original inhabitants of the land continued.

Las Casas struck an unusual bargain with his compatriots: if the military stayed away, he would deliver the land without spilling a single drop of blood. Spain reluctantly agreed, and Las Casas began translating hymns and scripture into local languages. The Rabinal chief, realizing the Spanish weren't going to go away, agreed to be baptized. His people followed suit, and the "conquest" of the region meant that the area was soon dotted with orderly Spanish-style villages. It became known as Las Verapaces, "The Lands of True Peace."

Historians debate Las Casas's legacy. He initially advocated replacing indigenous labor with African slaves, a position he later recanted when he saw the harsh treatment the Africans received at the hands of the Spanish. And the measures Las Casas proposed for bringing peace did dilute the strength and dominance of indigenous culture. However, during Guatemala's darkest years in the 1980s, those who yearned for true peace frequently invoked the memory of the iconic Dominican priest.