ROBERT MERCATANTE
Human Rights Advocate
BACKGROUND
For more than three decades, I have devoted myself to advancing justice, fostering cross-cultural solidarity, and promoting human rights — work grounded in the belief that every person deserves to live in dignity. In Guatemala, I have founded and led nonprofit organizations, documented crimes against humanity, accompanied human rights defenders in their struggles, led transformative educational delegations, and coordinated high-level advocacy with international partners.
Fluent in English and Spanish, I bring expertise in strategic communications, political analysis, public speaking, and photography. Above all, I am known for forging relationships across cultural, political, and economic divides — and for remaining calm, focused, and effective in even the most complex and high-stakes environments. I strive to bring commitment, clarity, and compassion to every challenge.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
- Documented crimes against humanity as a forensic photographer, producing evidence used in landmark genocide trials.
- Founded and led a 501(c)(3) nonprofit protecting at-risk human rights defenders in Guatemala through accompaniment, advocacy, and emergency aid.
- Directed the national office of the Guatemala Human Rights Commission, responding swiftly to urgent threats, mobilizing grassroots support, and influencing policy discussions to strengthen human rights protections.
- Coordinated and led 20+ international delegations, raising awareness, amplifying local voices, and fostering solidarity with Guatemalan defenders and communities.
- Developed strategic communications for NGOs, boosting visibility, advising decision-makers, educating the public, and mobilizing support through websites, publications, photography, and social media.
- Assisted in the return and resettlement of refugees displaced by Guatemala’s internal armed conflict.
- Promoted dialogue and conflict transformation between government institutions and civil society as part of a presidential commission in Guatemala.
- Engaged diverse grassroots groups using popular education to advance human rights, environmental protection, transitional justice, and peacebuilding.
| Skills Interpersonal skills Creativity Effective communication Critical thinking Flexibility Writing & editing Photography | Languages English – fluent Spanish – fluent Italian – intermediate |
WORK EXPERIENCE
2024
Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA
Research Fellow (remote)
GHRC is a non-profit, grassroots, solidarity organization dedicated to promoting human rights in Guatemala and supporting communities and activists who face threats and violence. GHRC documents and denounces abuses, educates the international community, and advocates for policies that foster peace and justice.
- Facilitated communication between GHRC’s Washington, DC and Guatemala City offices to gather and disseminate news, analysis, defender updates, and urgent actions to our base.
- Developed content for social media and publications; edit and fact-check articles; translate documents (English ↔ Spanish) as needed.
- Expanded GHRC’s support and donor base by elevating our profile, strengthening ties with longstanding partners (churches, universities, solidarity groups, human rights organizations), and identifying new potential donors.
- Participated in online meetings to coordinate actions with Guatemalan and international human rights organizations.
2017 – 2023
The Human Rights Defenders Project
Founder and Executive Director
The Human Rights Defenders Project promoted human rights in Guatemala by standing in solidarity with the courageous men and women who defend those rights. We supported defenders through advocacy and accompaniment, raising awareness about their efforts and struggles, denouncing the threats and attacks against them, mobilizing international solidarity to safeguard them, offering emergency assistance in their times of need, and facilitating access to national and international mechanisms of protection.
- Founded and led a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting at-risk human rights defenders in Guatemala, including indigenous Maya, campesino farmers, teachers, environmental activists, journalists, survivors of the armed conflict, and women’s rights advocates.
- Provided physical accompaniment, moral support, and political advocacy for defenders, their organizations, communities, and families.
- Provided emergency financial assistance to defenders facing persecution.
- Participated in high-level meetings with national and international human rights organizations, government officials, civil society, and others to denounce threats, abuses, and attacks.
- Organized and led human rights delegations for universities and solidarity organizations.
- Developed the organization’s website and leveraged social media to inform the public, denounce human rights abuses, and mobilize solidarity and support for defenders.
2015 – 2016
Plataforma Internacional contra la Impunidad
Program to Accompany Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala
The International Platform Against Impunity is an alliance of civil society organizations from the Netherlands, Switzerland, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala that support and promote advocacy for the full observance of human rights in Central America.
- Reported on at-risk Guatemalan human rights defenders and recommended political actions for European Union member states.
- Monitored the criminalization of human rights defenders, providing direct accompaniment to them and their families during court proceedings and pre-trial incarceration.
2011 – 2015
Guatemala Human Rights Commission / USA
Director of the Guatemala Office
- Established and successfully administered GHRC‘s Guatemala office for four years.
- Coordinated with the Washington, DC office to rapidly respond to threats and attacks against human rights defenders by investigating incidents, denouncing threats, organizing actions and campaigns, and mobilizing our grassroots base.
- Provided political, economic, and moral support to defenders at risk. Accompanied human rights defenders during critical moments of need: in meetings, court hearings, international forums, political actions, hospitals, prisons, and their communities.
- Facilitate and participate in dialogues between human rights defenders and national and international authorities: diplomatic corps, United Nations, CIDH, government officials, etc.
- Coordinated with national and international human rights organizations to provide immediate, comprehensive and effective support to Guatemalan defenders at risk.
- Organized and led over 15 international human rights delegations to organizations and communities, managing itineraries, logistics, interpretation, round-the-clock accompaniment, and post-delegation activism.
- Wrote articles about human rights issues and the Guatemalan context for our blog, website, and bilingual magazine “El Quetzal”
- Provided social, political, and historical analysis for visiting fact-finding missions.
2010 – 2011
Sistema Nacional de Diálogo Permanente / Government of Guatemala
Communications Office
The National Permanent Dialogue System was a Presidential Commission created to address the demands of campesino and indigenous organizations, labor unions, municipalities, and others. The SNDP sought, by means of dialogue and conflict resolution, to find negotiated solutions to the nation’s problems.
- Participated in local, regional and national dialogues facilitated by the SNDP between government institutions and social movement organizations.
- Promoted the work of the SNDP and the role of dialogue as an essential tool for conflict prevention and transformation, using photography and social media.
2007 – 2010
Fundación de Antropología Forense de Guatemala, FAFG
Forensic Photographer
The Forensic Anthropology Foundation of Guatemala applies forensic sciences to investigate, search, exhume, identify, and dignify the victims of Guatemala’s 36-year Internal Armed Conflict.
- Documented, by means of forensic photography, the genocide and crimes against humanity committed against the civilian population during Guatemala’s armed conflict.
- Participated in exhumations, inhumations, religious services, vigils, Mayan ceremonies and other activities in solidarity with the victims and in service to the surviving family members.
- Improved the quality of photographic evidence used in trials against perpetrators.
- Promoted the FAFG’s work by cultivating relationships with journalists, visiting delegations, documentary filmmakers, and human rights organizations.
- Provided photographs for publicity materials (website, newsletters, fliers, calendars, PowerPoint presentations, newspaper articles, etc.)
2005 – 2007
EstePais Magazine
Photographer/Editorial Staff
EstePais was a Spanish-language magazine published monthly in Guatemala. It was created as a progressive alternative to Guatemala’s conservative mainstream media.
- Co-founded a magazine highlighting the voices of politicians, human rights defenders, indigenous activists, writers, artists, journalists, and athletes working to create a better Guatemala.
- Traveled throughout Guatemala to cover stories, through documentary photography, often ignored by the mainstream press.
2003 – 2005
Incidencia Democrática
Political Analyst – Webmaster
Democratic Impact was a non-profit seeking to provide Guatemalan civil society and international solidarity with news and analysis on subjects such as democracy, nation-building, public policy, ethnicity and gender issues, peace and justice.
- Served on the team producing the ‘Reporte Diario,’ a daily summary of news and political analysis.
- Managed a database of thousands of email recipients and updated the website daily.
- Provided current events analysis to visiting human rights delegations and international accompaniers working in-country.
2001 – 2003
Tierra Nueva Migrant Outreach & Training Center (Burlington, WA)
Director of Communications
Tierra Nueva serves the Hispanic population of Washington State living on the margins of U.S. society: immigrants, migrant farmworkers, gang members, drug dealers & users, the incarcerated, etc.
- Worked with, and advocated for, Latino families in need of assistance with legal, financial, immigration and other issues.
- Planned and facilitated educational ‘encounter’ workshops bridging mainstream and marginalized communities.
- Designed materials for use in educational activities, publicity and fundraising.
1998 – 2000
Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca – URNG
Press Office / International Relations
The Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity became a progressive political party after the signing of the Peace Accords in 1996.
- Served as the official photographer of the presidential campaign.
- Established the URNG’s online identity: logo, homepage design, and email database.
- Collaborated with the team to organize press conferences, facilitate interviews, and produce press releases, newsletters, educational materials, and campaign publicity.
- Contributed to the communications strategy of URNG’s International Relations Commission.
- Compiled a database consisting of thousands of national and international solidarity contacts.
1996 – 1998
Instituto de Estudios Políticos, Económicos y Sociales – IPES
Communications & Analysis Team
The Institute for Political, Economic and Social Studies was a think tank established to monitor compliance of the Peace Accords by the Guatemalan government, military, and the URNG guerillas.
- Researched and co-authored thematic reports on socio-economic issues, the military in civil society, and the identity of indigenous peoples.
- Formed part of the multimedia team: designed and presented annual “Progress of the Peace Accords Report” to the diplomatic corps, government institutions, embassies, NGOs, civil society, etc.
1994 – 1995
Network In Solidarity with the People of Guatemala – NISGUA
Guatemala Liaison
NISGUA links people in the U.S. and Guatemala in the grassroots global struggle for justice, human dignity, and respect for the Earth.
- Served as NISGUA’s first in-country representative. Maintained regular contact with organizations and communities in Guatemala, monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation to the Washington, DC office.
- Prepared Guatemalan human rights defenders for U.S. speaking tours (discuss themes for presentations, discuss cultural shock issues, obtain US visas, etc.)
- Planned and successfully led a 40-person Election Observation delegation in coordination with Global Exchange, GNIB, and EPICA, with observer teams in Alta Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Sololá, Quetzaltenango, Quiché and Guatemala City.
1994 – 1996
Centro de Investigación y Educación Popular – CIEP
Popular Educator & Communicator
The Center for Investigation and Popular Education, CIEP, was a Guatemalan NGO dedicated to promoting the Peace Process and strengthening social movement organizations throughout the country using popular education techniques.
- With our team, facilitated popular education workshops to train, strengthen and empower civil society organizations, including women, campesinos, indigenous people, labor unions, and students.
- Filmed and edited educational videos about the peace process, human rights, and current events to share with organizations and communities.
- Filmed “Claveles y Esperanza”, a documentary depicting the death of university student leader Mario Alioto Lopez Sanchez.
- Participated in the Asamblea de la Sociedad Civil, a multisectorial effort to support and contribute content to the peace process.
- Helped lead workshops with URNG combatants to facilitate their transition to civilian life in a post-war context.
1992 – 1994
Jornadas por la Vida y la Paz
Activist – Educator
Jornadas was an ecumenical organization that united the progressive wings of the Catholic and Evangelical churches in promoting human rights, the peace process, and justice issues.
- Accompanied the Communities of Population in Resistance (internally displaced communities). Helped coordinate the first overland visits to the CPRs and subsequent CPR visits to Guatemala City.
- Coordinated and delivered emergency relief for CPR communities affected by an army bombing campaign.
- Helped plan and accompany massive movements of refugees returning to Guatemala as a member of the Human Rights Commission of the CCPP (Permanent Commissions).
- Produced and distributed popular education materials promoting the peace process, campesino and indigenous rights, women’s rights, etc.
- Participated as a representative to the Foro Multisectorial Social, a coalition to restore the rule of law after the “self-coup” of President Serrano Elias.
1989 – 1992
Habitat for Humanity – Guatemala
International Partner
Habitat for Humanity brings families and communities in need together with volunteers and resources to build decent, affordable housing.
- Worked with the community and the local Habitat committee to build low-cost homes in El Rosario, an impoverished farming village on Guatemala’s southern coast.
- Named International Representative: served as liaison between Habitat’s U.S. offices, the international partners, and Guatemala’s national Board of Directors.
- Received and attended to the new international volunteers: visas, orientation, placement in language school and assigned project, psychosocial care, etc.
- Collaborated on the development and implementation of Habitat Guatemala’s ‘Plan de Nacionalización,’ transitioning operations to full Guatemalan leadership, including the selection and recruitment of national volunteers.
- Coordinated the annual regional retreat for international volunteers of Habitat projects in Mexico and Central America.