Early Life
My name is Carlos Julian Arana Baltazar. I was born in Livingston, Izabal, Guatemala. I grew up in a place full of economic deficiencies despite my parents’ efforts to provide for us.
After primary school in my homeland, God blessed me with the opportunity to study at in the capital city at Villa de los Niños, run by the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary.
There, I had the opportunity to learn various skills alongside my middle-level academic training.
There were many positive experiences that contributed to my personal growth, such as living with indigenous brothers from all over the country, understanding the Holy Trinity, and recognizing the fundamental importance of God, the beauty of the world, and the brotherhood we all share. My teenage years passed quickly and exponentially while living under the guidance of the Sisters of Mary. Over three years, I came to understand that the world needs the word of God to change and turn towards respect, love, and understanding of others.
Life after school
After Villa de los Niños, I earned a scholarship to study Computer Science in Puerto Barrios, Izabal, from 2003 to 2005. After high school, I got my first job and joined my town’s church youth group, where I discovered my true calling: supporting youth in maintaining a healthy life, adhering to Afro-indigenous customs, and following the righteous path of God. In 2006, I moved to Livingston and started organizing groups to promote cultural rights in Livingston, Izabal.
After six years, I received another scholarship to study Social Communication and Audiovisual Production, obtaining a Diploma in Graphic Design and Audiovisual Production. I started a company to promote Garifuna culture through audiovisuals. From 2012 to 2016, I produced and acted in sociocultural short films, with my last film in 2016 titled “Maguyubaha Tuagu (Do not mistreat her),” featuring 80% of the Garifuna language.
In 2016, I was invited to join a political party’s municipal executive committee in Livingston, Izabal, to address the social challenges faced by the Garifuna people. My initial role was secretary for national affairs in 2017, but after my municipal involvement, I was given the chance to run as a deputy for Izabal. Even though I did not win a Congressional seat, President-elect Dr. Bernardo Arévalo later appointed me as the Presidential Commissioner against Discrimination and Racism, a position I held from 2020 to 2023.
Representing Guatemala at the United Nations
During this time, I represented Guatemala at UN Human Rights forums, including the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent in Geneva in 2022 and 2023, and in New York in 2023. I advocated for ethnic self-identification, supporting Afro-descendants’ the Right to Self-Identification and integrating indigenous rights into government plans. As the Head Delegate of the Specific Cabinet for Social Development and the Thematic Table of Indigenous Peoples, I worked on institutionalizing Garifuna and Afro-descendant issues through resolution points for data disaggregation.
An event that marked me during my first term as commissioner was being named the Man of Peace of Guatemala, following the changing of the Rose of Peace in December 2022. At the end of my first term as Presidential Commissioner, I was given the opportunity to serve a second term, which began in August 2023 and will culminate in August 2027.
Currently, after studying for a second time, I will be graduating in February 2025 in Public Administration. I only need to pass my private exam to obtain my bachelor’s degree in the aforementioned field from Galileo University of Guatemala.
