Still Standing: Finding Light Inside a Guatemalan Prison, The Battle of an Innocent Woman

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Description

A shocking firsthand account of a young mom's fight for justice while being wrongly imprisoned, and the incredible stories of the women she meets inside.

Anaite Alvarado was at home caring for her children when she noticed Guatemalan police on her street. She sent her children to school just minutes before the police burst into her home, handcuffed her, and dropped her in a dirty Guatemalan prison.

In this page turning and unforgettable memoir, we are with Anaite day by day as she is forced from a comfortable life as part of Guatemala's higher social class into a woman fighting for survival, edible food, decent living conditions, and justice. Anaite's husband had been accused of a spectrum of financial crimes, and while she had no part in his wrongdoings, her opposers and a corrupt judicial system kept her imprisoned--without evidence.

In prison, we meet face-to-face the women in the shadows who the Guatemalan government attempts to forget. We hear firsthand accounts of crimes and atrocities, by free will or by force, but we also see how even in the most deplorable of conditions, friendship, kindness, and humanity persevere. We see how women can become violent criminals, murderers even, and yet still have empathy and compassion. We also see how women, like Anaite, are left to linger in jail for crimes they didn't commit.

This remarkable author is Lisa and Laura Ling meet Piper Kerman; her story was a media sensation in Guatemala, but despite Anaite's American citizenship was largely ignored by the American government. In Still Standing, it is told in full detail for the very first time, and it raises the question of if a terrible unexpected event happened to us, could we too persevere

Reviews

"Still Standing, by Anait Alvarado, is a heart-warming story of a woman's life turned upside down, when she was falsely accused, and sent to prison, for a crime that she didn't commit, but her husband did! Read, learn, grow, and get ready to be touched by this incredible story." --WEEU Pennsylvania

"Still Standing is the shocking, unknown story of an American woman, also a citizen of Guatemala, who lost her freedom and was made to suffer the wretched lot of a prisoner. This beautifully written story tells of a gut-wrenching reality that everyone in America ought to know." --Steven Hecht, Editor-at-Large, Impunity Observer

"In Still Standing, Anait Alvarado rises above fear and refuses to be silenced. This book is a tribute to all the victims of repressive justice systems. It is a must-read." --Sylvia Gereda, Investigative Journalist

"Still Standing is a tale of injustice, of heroic endurance, of a wife caught in a web of betrayal, and of international intrigue. It is beautifully written and totally immerses the reader in the emotional twists and turns of a life interrupted" --Armando de la Torre, Director, Graduate School of Social Sciences, Universidad Francisco Marroquin

"The concept of justice may summon images of courts with reasonable judges who apply laws in a fair manner, and the weight of the evidence having the final say in whether someone is guilty or innocent. However, when reading this book you realize that some justice systems are more just than others ... The way that Anait's family, friends, and legal team work to navigate through such an uncertain process makes clear that it takes an enormous collective effort for truth to come to light. Her dedication to improving circumstances in prison, before and after her journey, also speaks volumes for her generous spirit." --Antigua Report

"Still Standing tells the story of Anait in a chapter of her life that exemplifies a courageous woman who faced adversity with dignity, holding on to her truth which in the end prevailed. She is a rare victim of a rotten system who decides to fight the corruption that led to her incarceration." --Betty Marroqun, Political Analyst and Columnist

Author Bio

Anait Alvarado was born in Miami and grew up in Guatemala City. After graduating from the American School in Guatemala City, she moved back to the United States where she lived for seventeen years. She was incarcerated in 2016. She holds a BS in Communication from the University of Miami and an MIB Certificate from Florida International University. Alvarado currently lives in Guatemala City with her two children.