empecinar

Entonces se empecinaron en cerrar los ojos.	Thus, eyes remained shut.
Caro han pagado gobernantes de muchos lugares que se empecinaron en mantenerse en el poder cometiendo abusos y atropellos en contra de todos quienes pensaron diferente a ellos.	Rulers of many places that insisted on staying in power committing abuses and outrages against everyone who thought differently have paid a high price.
Partiendo tales creencias de un punto primitivo, hubo el recelo de que si se rompía el primer anillo de la cadena, toda la malla de la red terminaría separándose. Entonces se empecinaron en cerrar los ojos.	Because these beliefs were rooted in a primitive starting point, it was feared that if the first link of the chain were broken, then the entire weave of the network would end up coming undone.
Pese a que, desde diversos ámbitos, se les hizo saber que la aprobación del decreto de marras no bastaba para resolver los problemas del sistema de salud, médicos y sindicalistas se empecinaron en hacer de esa aprobación su principal y casi exclusiva bandera de lucha.	They were informed that the approval of the decree was not enough to resolve the problems of the public health system, but the doctors and the members of the union insisted on putting the approval as their exclusive demand.
Los marineros empecinaron la embarcación de madera para que no calara el agua.	The sailors coated the wooden ship with pitch so that water didn't get through.