| GUATEMALA Republic of Guatemala Republica de Guatemala Joined United Nations: 21 November 1945 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 09/07/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Guatemala City
13,276,517 (July 2010 est.)
President elected by popular vote for a four-year term (may not
serve consecutive terms); election last held 9 September 2007;
runoff held 4 November 2007
Next scheduled election: September 2011
serve consecutive terms); election last held 9 September 2007;
runoff held 4 November 2007
Next scheduled election: September 2011
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
According to the Guatemala constitution, the President is both
the Chief of State and Head of Government
the Chief of State and Head of Government
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino) and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam
7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001 census)
7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001 census)
| RELIGIONS |
Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Constitutional democratic republic with 22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Legal system is a civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: President elected by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 9 September 2007;
runoff held 4 November 2007 (next to be held September 2011)
Legislative: Unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 September 2007 (next to be held in September 2011)
Judicial: Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent
five-year terms); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a
president of the Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial
judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)
judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: President elected by popular vote for a four-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 9 September 2007;
runoff held 4 November 2007 (next to be held September 2011)
Legislative: Unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 September 2007 (next to be held in September 2011)
Judicial: Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent
five-year terms); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a
president of the Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial
judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)
| LANGUAGES |
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi,
Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
| BRIEF HISTORY |
The first proof of human settlers in Guatemala goes back to 10,000 BC, although there is some evidence that put this date at
18,000 BC, such as obsidian arrow heads found in various parts of the country. There is archaeological proof that early Guatemalan
settlers were hunters and gatherers, but pollen samples from Petén and the Pacific coast indicate that maize cultivation was
developed by 3500 BC. Archaic sites have been documented in Quiché in the Highlands and Sipacate, Escuintla on the central
Pacific coast (6500 BC). By 2500 BC, small settlements were developing in Guatemala’s Pacific lowlands, including such places as
Tilapa, La Blanca, Ocós, El Mesak, and Ujuxte, where the oldest ceramic pottery from Guatemala has been found. A heavy
concentration of pottery on the Pacific coast has been documented dating from 2000 BC. Recent excavations suggest that the
Highlands were a geographic and temporal bridge between Early Preclassic villages of the Pacific coast and later Petén lowlands
cities. The city of El Mirador was the biggest city in ancient America, has the largest pyramid in the world, at 2,800,000 Mt2 of
volume (some 200,000 more than the Giza pyramid in Egypt), and was by far the most populated city in the pre-Columbian
America. In fact, Mirador was the first politically organized state in America, named the Kan Kingdom in ancient texts. Sent out by
Hernán Cortés with 120 horsemen, 300 footsoldiers and several hundred Cholula and Tlascala auxiliaries, Pedro de Alvarado was
engaged in the conquest of the highlands of Guatemala from 1523 to 1527. He left Tenochtitlán, with 120 Cavalry units, 160
crossbowers and riflemen, 4 heavy artillery pieces, 300 infantry men, and 20,000 tlaxcaltec, cholulas, and mexicas. He entered
Guatemala from Soconusco on the Pacific lowlands, headed for Xetulul Humbatz, (Zapotitlan). Alvarado at first allied himself with
the Cakchiquel nation to fight against their traditional rivals the Quiché nation. The last cities conquered were Tayasal, capital of the
Itzá Maya, and Zacpetén, capital of the Ko'woj Maya, both in 1697, after several attempts, including a failed attempt by Hernan
Cortez in 1542. In order to conquer these last Maya sites, the Spaniards had to attack them on three fronts, one coming from
Yucatan, another from Belize, and the third one from Alta Verapaz. During Spanish colonial rule, most of Central America came
under the control of the Captaincy General of Guatemala. It extended from the Soconusco region - now in southern Mexico (states
of Chiapas, Tabasco) - to Costa Rica. This region was not as rich in minerals (gold and silver) as Mexico and Peru, and was
therefore not considered to be as important. Its main products were sugarcane, cocoa, blue añil dye, red dye from cochineal
insects, and precious woods used in artwork for churches and palaces in Spain. The first colonial capital of Guatemala, now called
Vieja, was ruined by floods and an earthquake in 1542. Survivors founded a second city of Guatemala, now known as La Antigua
Guatemala, in 1543. In the 17th century, Antigua Guatemala became one of the richest capitals in the New World. Guatemala
gained independence from Spain on September 15, 1821; it briefly became part of the Mexican Empire and then for a period
belonged to a federation called The United Provinces of Central America, until the federation broke up in civil war in 1838–1840.
Guatemala's "Liberal Revolution" came in 1871 under the leadership of Justo Rufino Barrios, who worked to modernize the
country, improve trade, and introduce new crops and manufacturing. During this era coffee became an important crop for
Guatemala. Barrios had ambitions of reuniting Central America and took the country to war in an unsuccessful attempt to attain this,
losing his life on the battlefield in 1885 against forces in El Salvador. The U.S.-based multinational United Fruit Company (UFC)
started becoming a major force in Guatemala in 1901, during the long presidencies of Manuel José Estrada Cabrera and General
Jorge Ubico. During the latter's dictatorship in the 1930's, Guatemala was further opened up to foreign investment, with special
favours being made from Ubico to the United Fruit Company in particular. In 1944, General Jorge Ubico's dictatorship was
overthrown by the "October Revolutionaries", a group of dissident military officers, students, and liberal professionals who were
empowered by the wave of revolutions that swept up old, unpopular dictatorships in Venezuela, Cuba, and El Salvador around the
same time. In response to the increasingly autocratic rule of Gen. Ydígoras Fuentes, who took power in 1958 following the murder
of Col. Castillo Armas, a group of junior military officers revolted in 1960. When they failed, several went into hiding and
established close ties with Cuba. Shortly after President Julio César Méndez Montenegro took office in 1966, the army launched a
major counterinsurgency campaign that largely broke up the guerrilla movement in the countryside. The guerrillas then concentrated
their attacks in Guatemala City, where they assassinated many leading figures, including U.S. Ambassador John Gordon Mein in
1968. Between 1966 and 1982, there were a series of military or military-dominated governments. Ríos Montt's brief presidency
was probably the most violent period of the 36-year internal conflict, which resulted in thousands of deaths of mostly unarmed
indigenous civilians. General Mejía allowed a managed return to democracy in Guatemala, starting with a July 1, 1984 election for a
Constituent Assembly to draft a democratic constitution. On May 30, 1985, after nine months of debate, the Constituent Assembly
finished drafting a new constitution, which took effect immediately. Presidential and congressional elections were held on November
11, 1990. After a runoff ballot, Jorge Antonio Serrano Elías was inaugurated on January 14, 1991, thus completing the first
transition from one democratically elected civilian government to another. On June 5, 1993, Congress, pursuant to the 1985
constitution, elected the Human Rights Ombudsman, Ramiro de León Carpio, to complete Serrano's presidential term. De León
was not a member of any political party; lacking a political base but with strong popular support, he launched an ambitious
anticorruption campaign to "purify" Congress and the Supreme Court, demanding the resignations of all members of the two bodies.
Progress in carrying out Portillo's reform agenda during his first year in office was slow. As a result, public support for the
government sank to nearly record lows by early 2001. Although the administration made progress on such issues as taking state
responsibility for past human rights cases and supporting human rights in international fora, it failed to show significant advances on
combating impunity in past human rights cases, military reforms, a fiscal pact to help finance peace implementation, and legislation to
increase political participation. In July 2003, the Jueves Negro demonstrations rocked the capital, forcing the closing of the US
embassy and the UN mission, as supporters of Ríos Montt called for his return to power. His supporters demanded that the nation's
courts overturn a ban against former coup leaders so that he could run as a presidential candidate in the 2003 elections. The
supporters were given meals by FRG in return for protesting. On November 9, 2003, Óscar Berger, a former mayor of Guatemala
city, won the presidential election with 38.8% of the vote. However, because he failed to achieve a fifty percent majority, he won a
runoff election on December 28, defeating the center-left candidate Álvaro Colom. Ríos Montt trailed a distant third with just 11%.
In early October 2005, Guatemala was devastated by Hurricane Stan, a relatively weak storm that triggered a flooding disaster that
left at least 1,500 people dead. On September 9 2007 Alvaro Colom was elected to replace Oscar Berger as president.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Guatemala
18,000 BC, such as obsidian arrow heads found in various parts of the country. There is archaeological proof that early Guatemalan
settlers were hunters and gatherers, but pollen samples from Petén and the Pacific coast indicate that maize cultivation was
developed by 3500 BC. Archaic sites have been documented in Quiché in the Highlands and Sipacate, Escuintla on the central
Pacific coast (6500 BC). By 2500 BC, small settlements were developing in Guatemala’s Pacific lowlands, including such places as
Tilapa, La Blanca, Ocós, El Mesak, and Ujuxte, where the oldest ceramic pottery from Guatemala has been found. A heavy
concentration of pottery on the Pacific coast has been documented dating from 2000 BC. Recent excavations suggest that the
Highlands were a geographic and temporal bridge between Early Preclassic villages of the Pacific coast and later Petén lowlands
cities. The city of El Mirador was the biggest city in ancient America, has the largest pyramid in the world, at 2,800,000 Mt2 of
volume (some 200,000 more than the Giza pyramid in Egypt), and was by far the most populated city in the pre-Columbian
America. In fact, Mirador was the first politically organized state in America, named the Kan Kingdom in ancient texts. Sent out by
Hernán Cortés with 120 horsemen, 300 footsoldiers and several hundred Cholula and Tlascala auxiliaries, Pedro de Alvarado was
engaged in the conquest of the highlands of Guatemala from 1523 to 1527. He left Tenochtitlán, with 120 Cavalry units, 160
crossbowers and riflemen, 4 heavy artillery pieces, 300 infantry men, and 20,000 tlaxcaltec, cholulas, and mexicas. He entered
Guatemala from Soconusco on the Pacific lowlands, headed for Xetulul Humbatz, (Zapotitlan). Alvarado at first allied himself with
the Cakchiquel nation to fight against their traditional rivals the Quiché nation. The last cities conquered were Tayasal, capital of the
Itzá Maya, and Zacpetén, capital of the Ko'woj Maya, both in 1697, after several attempts, including a failed attempt by Hernan
Cortez in 1542. In order to conquer these last Maya sites, the Spaniards had to attack them on three fronts, one coming from
Yucatan, another from Belize, and the third one from Alta Verapaz. During Spanish colonial rule, most of Central America came
under the control of the Captaincy General of Guatemala. It extended from the Soconusco region - now in southern Mexico (states
of Chiapas, Tabasco) - to Costa Rica. This region was not as rich in minerals (gold and silver) as Mexico and Peru, and was
therefore not considered to be as important. Its main products were sugarcane, cocoa, blue añil dye, red dye from cochineal
insects, and precious woods used in artwork for churches and palaces in Spain. The first colonial capital of Guatemala, now called
Vieja, was ruined by floods and an earthquake in 1542. Survivors founded a second city of Guatemala, now known as La Antigua
Guatemala, in 1543. In the 17th century, Antigua Guatemala became one of the richest capitals in the New World. Guatemala
gained independence from Spain on September 15, 1821; it briefly became part of the Mexican Empire and then for a period
belonged to a federation called The United Provinces of Central America, until the federation broke up in civil war in 1838–1840.
Guatemala's "Liberal Revolution" came in 1871 under the leadership of Justo Rufino Barrios, who worked to modernize the
country, improve trade, and introduce new crops and manufacturing. During this era coffee became an important crop for
Guatemala. Barrios had ambitions of reuniting Central America and took the country to war in an unsuccessful attempt to attain this,
losing his life on the battlefield in 1885 against forces in El Salvador. The U.S.-based multinational United Fruit Company (UFC)
started becoming a major force in Guatemala in 1901, during the long presidencies of Manuel José Estrada Cabrera and General
Jorge Ubico. During the latter's dictatorship in the 1930's, Guatemala was further opened up to foreign investment, with special
favours being made from Ubico to the United Fruit Company in particular. In 1944, General Jorge Ubico's dictatorship was
overthrown by the "October Revolutionaries", a group of dissident military officers, students, and liberal professionals who were
empowered by the wave of revolutions that swept up old, unpopular dictatorships in Venezuela, Cuba, and El Salvador around the
same time. In response to the increasingly autocratic rule of Gen. Ydígoras Fuentes, who took power in 1958 following the murder
of Col. Castillo Armas, a group of junior military officers revolted in 1960. When they failed, several went into hiding and
established close ties with Cuba. Shortly after President Julio César Méndez Montenegro took office in 1966, the army launched a
major counterinsurgency campaign that largely broke up the guerrilla movement in the countryside. The guerrillas then concentrated
their attacks in Guatemala City, where they assassinated many leading figures, including U.S. Ambassador John Gordon Mein in
1968. Between 1966 and 1982, there were a series of military or military-dominated governments. Ríos Montt's brief presidency
was probably the most violent period of the 36-year internal conflict, which resulted in thousands of deaths of mostly unarmed
indigenous civilians. General Mejía allowed a managed return to democracy in Guatemala, starting with a July 1, 1984 election for a
Constituent Assembly to draft a democratic constitution. On May 30, 1985, after nine months of debate, the Constituent Assembly
finished drafting a new constitution, which took effect immediately. Presidential and congressional elections were held on November
11, 1990. After a runoff ballot, Jorge Antonio Serrano Elías was inaugurated on January 14, 1991, thus completing the first
transition from one democratically elected civilian government to another. On June 5, 1993, Congress, pursuant to the 1985
constitution, elected the Human Rights Ombudsman, Ramiro de León Carpio, to complete Serrano's presidential term. De León
was not a member of any political party; lacking a political base but with strong popular support, he launched an ambitious
anticorruption campaign to "purify" Congress and the Supreme Court, demanding the resignations of all members of the two bodies.
Progress in carrying out Portillo's reform agenda during his first year in office was slow. As a result, public support for the
government sank to nearly record lows by early 2001. Although the administration made progress on such issues as taking state
responsibility for past human rights cases and supporting human rights in international fora, it failed to show significant advances on
combating impunity in past human rights cases, military reforms, a fiscal pact to help finance peace implementation, and legislation to
increase political participation. In July 2003, the Jueves Negro demonstrations rocked the capital, forcing the closing of the US
embassy and the UN mission, as supporters of Ríos Montt called for his return to power. His supporters demanded that the nation's
courts overturn a ban against former coup leaders so that he could run as a presidential candidate in the 2003 elections. The
supporters were given meals by FRG in return for protesting. On November 9, 2003, Óscar Berger, a former mayor of Guatemala
city, won the presidential election with 38.8% of the vote. However, because he failed to achieve a fifty percent majority, he won a
runoff election on December 28, defeating the center-left candidate Álvaro Colom. Ríos Montt trailed a distant third with just 11%.
In early October 2005, Guatemala was devastated by Hurricane Stan, a relatively weak storm that triggered a flooding disaster that
left at least 1,500 people dead. On September 9 2007 Alvaro Colom was elected to replace Oscar Berger as president.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Guatemala
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
Guatemala is the most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of the average for
Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for nearly 15% of GDP and half of the labor force; key
agricultural exports include coffee, sugar, and bananas. The 1996 peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a
major obstacle to foreign investment, and since then Guatemala has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization.
The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered into force in July 2006 spurring increased investment and
diversification of exports, with the largest increases in ethanol and non-traditional agricultural exports. While CAFTA has helped
improve the investment climate, concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers and poor infrastructure continue to hamper
foreign direct investment. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with the richest decile comprising over 40% of
Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line and 15% lives in extreme
poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up 38% of the population, averages 76% and extreme poverty rises to
28%. 43% of children under five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. President COLOM
entered into office with the promise to increase education, healthcare, and rural development, and in April 2008 he inaugurated a
conditional cash transfer program, modeled after programs in Brazil and Mexico, that provide financial incentives for poor families
to keep their children in school and get regular health check-ups. Given Guatemala's large expatriate community in the United
States, it is the top remittance recipient in Central America, with inflows serving as a primary source of foreign income equivalent to
nearly two-thirds of exports. The economy contracted in 2009 as export demand from US and other Central American markets fell
and foreign investment slowed amid the global recession. The economy will likely recover gradually in 2010 and return to more
normal growth rates by 2012.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Guatemala)
Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for nearly 15% of GDP and half of the labor force; key
agricultural exports include coffee, sugar, and bananas. The 1996 peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a
major obstacle to foreign investment, and since then Guatemala has pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization.
The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) entered into force in July 2006 spurring increased investment and
diversification of exports, with the largest increases in ethanol and non-traditional agricultural exports. While CAFTA has helped
improve the investment climate, concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers and poor infrastructure continue to hamper
foreign direct investment. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with the richest decile comprising over 40% of
Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line and 15% lives in extreme
poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up 38% of the population, averages 76% and extreme poverty rises to
28%. 43% of children under five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. President COLOM
entered into office with the promise to increase education, healthcare, and rural development, and in April 2008 he inaugurated a
conditional cash transfer program, modeled after programs in Brazil and Mexico, that provide financial incentives for poor families
to keep their children in school and get regular health check-ups. Given Guatemala's large expatriate community in the United
States, it is the top remittance recipient in Central America, with inflows serving as a primary source of foreign income equivalent to
nearly two-thirds of exports. The economy contracted in 2009 as export demand from US and other Central American markets fell
and foreign investment slowed amid the global recession. The economy will likely recover gradually in 2010 and return to more
normal growth rates by 2012.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Guatemala)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
The Berger administration has been hailed in some circles for its work in devolution. Guatemala has always been a strongly
centralized state and the administration sought to take halt the growing pre-eminence of the Capital. For example the administration
has engaged in mobile cabinets where the President and all his ministers will go into the country and change the seat of power every
so often, to be “closer to the people”.
The administration is facing growing financial difficulties, potentially in part due to 60% of the population being considered “poor”
and therefore ineligible for taxation. The SAT (superintendence of tributary administration), the revenue service, is therefore
obligated to tax the middle class which is starting to suffer under the burden. The SAT has become stringent in its application of the
law seeking the full penalties of incarceration for tax evasion.
In September 2006 the PNC (civil national police), in a joint action with the national military took by storm the Pavon detention
center, a prison with 1,500 inmates which until that date hadn't been requisitioned for 10 years and which was a hub of criminal
activity. Some inmates, the guard of the chief of the mafiosi what ran the prison and the leader himself resisted the onslaught of
forces of law with AK47 and handguns, they were massacred. Around 3,000 infantry and 4 tanks participated in the action. This
was a milestone of the history of Guatemala and made national headlines.
2006 saw the dismemberment of the GANA in the face of the 2007 elections. It fractured into many parties, damaging the ability of
the government to get legislation through congress.
In the November 2007 second round presidential elections, Alvaro Colom of the UNE was elected president, defeating ex general
Otto Perez Molina of the PP.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Guatemala
centralized state and the administration sought to take halt the growing pre-eminence of the Capital. For example the administration
has engaged in mobile cabinets where the President and all his ministers will go into the country and change the seat of power every
so often, to be “closer to the people”.
The administration is facing growing financial difficulties, potentially in part due to 60% of the population being considered “poor”
and therefore ineligible for taxation. The SAT (superintendence of tributary administration), the revenue service, is therefore
obligated to tax the middle class which is starting to suffer under the burden. The SAT has become stringent in its application of the
law seeking the full penalties of incarceration for tax evasion.
In September 2006 the PNC (civil national police), in a joint action with the national military took by storm the Pavon detention
center, a prison with 1,500 inmates which until that date hadn't been requisitioned for 10 years and which was a hub of criminal
activity. Some inmates, the guard of the chief of the mafiosi what ran the prison and the leader himself resisted the onslaught of
forces of law with AK47 and handguns, they were massacred. Around 3,000 infantry and 4 tanks participated in the action. This
was a milestone of the history of Guatemala and made national headlines.
2006 saw the dismemberment of the GANA in the face of the 2007 elections. It fractured into many parties, damaging the ability of
the government to get legislation through congress.
In the November 2007 second round presidential elections, Alvaro Colom of the UNE was elected president, defeating ex general
Otto Perez Molina of the PP.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Guatemala
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
Annual ministerial meetings under the OAS-initiated Agreement on the Framework for Negotiations and Confidence Building
Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea; the Line of Adjacency
created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous international boundary to control squatting in the sparsely
inhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central
Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States
Measures continue to address Guatemalan land and maritime claims in Belize and the Caribbean Sea; the Line of Adjacency
created under the 2002 Differendum serves in lieu of the contiguous international boundary to control squatting in the sparsely
inhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; Mexico must deal with thousands of impoverished Guatemalans and other Central
Americans who cross the porous border looking for work in Mexico and the United States
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) |
IDPs: undetermined (the UN does not estimate there are any IDPs, although some NGOs estimate over 200,000 IDPs as a result
of over three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996) (2007)
of over three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996) (2007)
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
Major transit country for cocaine and heroin; in 2005, cultivated 100 hectares of opium poppy after reemerging as a potential
source of opium in 2004; potential production of less than 1 metric ton of pure heroin; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic
consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering
is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem
source of opium in 2004; potential production of less than 1 metric ton of pure heroin; marijuana cultivation for mostly domestic
consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering
is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2009 Human Rights Reports: Guatemala
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Guatemala is a democratic, multiparty republic with a population estimated at 14 million. Alvaro Colom of the National Unity of Hope
(UNE) party won the 2007 presidential election, which international observers generally considered free and fair, and began his four-year
term in January 2008. While civilian authorities generally maintained control of the security forces, there were instances in which
members of the security forces committed illegal acts, including human rights abuses.
Although the government generally respected the human rights of citizens, a wide variety of serious problems remained. These included:
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Guatemala is a democratic, multiparty republic with a population estimated at 14 million. Alvaro Colom of the National Unity of Hope
(UNE) party won the 2007 presidential election, which international observers generally considered free and fair, and began his four-year
term in January 2008. While civilian authorities generally maintained control of the security forces, there were instances in which
members of the security forces committed illegal acts, including human rights abuses.
Although the government generally respected the human rights of citizens, a wide variety of serious problems remained. These included:
- the government's failure to investigate and punish unlawful killings committed by members of the security forces;
- widespread societal violence, including numerous killings;
- corruption and substantial inadequacies in the police and judicial sectors;
- police involvement in serious crimes;
- impunity for criminal activity;
- harsh and dangerous prison conditions;
- arbitrary arrest and detention;
- failure of the judicial system to ensure full and timely investigations and fair trials;
- failure to protect judicial sector officials, witnesses, and civil society representatives from intimidation;
- threats and intimidation against, and killings of, journalists and trade unionists;
- discrimination and violence against women;
- trafficking in persons;
- discrimination against indigenous communities;
- discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity;
- ineffective enforcement of labor laws and child labor provisions.
26 January 2010
Human Rights Council
Thirteenth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to
development
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter* **
Mission to Guatemala
Summary
This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food from his country visit to
Guatemala from 3 to 5 September 2009. The aim of the visit was to assess the implementation of the recommendations issued by the
Rapporteur’s predecessor during his visit to Guatemala in February 2005 and to examine the current status of the realization of the right
to food in Guatemala.
The Special Rapporteur was impressed by the degree of commitment and the range of efforts deployed by the Government of Guatemala
to improve the situation of food security in the country. He concludes, however, that more needs to be done to remove the structural
obstacles to the full realization of the right to food, including for indigenous people.
The report invites the Government to consider recommendations in five priority areas. Measures should be adopted to:
(a) Address unequal access to land, including full implementation and codification into law of the Policy for Integral Rural Development;
(b) Integrate human rights principles into existing social programmes, and the Mi Familia Progresa cash transfer programme in particular;
(c) Raise the minimum salary and reinforce the capacity of the Labour Inspectorate;
(d) Strengthen the System of Information and Communication on Food and Nutrition Security (SICSAN); (e) Reform the taxation
system, including by amending the Solidarity Tax and increasing the income tax on the highest revenues.
I. Introduction
1. The Special Rapporteur on the right to food conducted a country visit to Guatemala from 3 to 5 September 2009, at the invitation of
the Government. The visit aimed to assess the implementation of the recommendations issued by the Rapporteur’s predecessor during
his visit to Guatemala in February 2005; to examine the current status of the realization of the right to food in Guatemala; and to
formulate concrete recommendations on the basis of information received from competent Government authorities and representatives
of civil society and the international community.
2. During his visit to Guatemala, the Special Rapporteur met with a wide range of dignitaries at the highest level of Government,
including the President and Vice-President of the Republic. The Special Rapporteur also met the First Lady and representatives from
various line ministries gathered within the Council of Social Cohesion, as well as the Minister and Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, the
Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Health, the Sub-Secretary on National Food and Nutrition Security,
the Secretary of Planning, the Secretary for Agrarian Affairs and officials from the Ministry of Economy.
Click here to read more »
Human Rights Council
Thirteenth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to
development
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter* **
Mission to Guatemala
Summary
This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food from his country visit to
Guatemala from 3 to 5 September 2009. The aim of the visit was to assess the implementation of the recommendations issued by the
Rapporteur’s predecessor during his visit to Guatemala in February 2005 and to examine the current status of the realization of the right
to food in Guatemala.
The Special Rapporteur was impressed by the degree of commitment and the range of efforts deployed by the Government of Guatemala
to improve the situation of food security in the country. He concludes, however, that more needs to be done to remove the structural
obstacles to the full realization of the right to food, including for indigenous people.
The report invites the Government to consider recommendations in five priority areas. Measures should be adopted to:
(a) Address unequal access to land, including full implementation and codification into law of the Policy for Integral Rural Development;
(b) Integrate human rights principles into existing social programmes, and the Mi Familia Progresa cash transfer programme in particular;
(c) Raise the minimum salary and reinforce the capacity of the Labour Inspectorate;
(d) Strengthen the System of Information and Communication on Food and Nutrition Security (SICSAN); (e) Reform the taxation
system, including by amending the Solidarity Tax and increasing the income tax on the highest revenues.
I. Introduction
1. The Special Rapporteur on the right to food conducted a country visit to Guatemala from 3 to 5 September 2009, at the invitation of
the Government. The visit aimed to assess the implementation of the recommendations issued by the Rapporteur’s predecessor during
his visit to Guatemala in February 2005; to examine the current status of the realization of the right to food in Guatemala; and to
formulate concrete recommendations on the basis of information received from competent Government authorities and representatives
of civil society and the international community.
2. During his visit to Guatemala, the Special Rapporteur met with a wide range of dignitaries at the highest level of Government,
including the President and Vice-President of the Republic. The Special Rapporteur also met the First Lady and representatives from
various line ministries gathered within the Council of Social Cohesion, as well as the Minister and Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, the
Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Health, the Sub-Secretary on National Food and Nutrition Security,
the Secretary of Planning, the Secretary for Agrarian Affairs and officials from the Ministry of Economy.
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Freedom In The World 2010 Report
Political Rights Score: 4
Civil Liberties Score: 4
Status: Partly Free
Ratings Change
Guatemala’s political rights rating declined from 3 to 4 due to the government’s inability to implement policies and legislation
in the face of pervasive organized crime.
Overview
While President Alvaro Colom struggled in 2009 to curb the corruption and impunity that plague Guatemalan institutions, he himself was
accused of involvement in a scandal surrounding the state-run Banrural bank and the murder of lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg in May.
Separately, the release of a new report on civil war–era human rights abuses in March led to the abduction and torture of the wife of
human rights prosecutor Sergio Morales. Violent crime continued unabated during the year, and civil society activists suffered a number
of threats and attacks.
Colom, who since taking office had dismissed several senior officials in response to scandals, corruption charges, or policy
ineffectiveness, continued his attempts to curb official corruption and impunity in 2009. In March, he established a committee tasked
with declassifying military archives from the civil war era. He also extended the mandate of the UN-backed International Commission
against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), widely considered to be one of the only legitimate public institutions in the country, through
September 2011. The biggest scandal of the year involved the May assassination of lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg, who recorded a video
prior to his death in which he accused Colom of ordering his murder. He also accused First Lady Sandra Torres and top government
officials of covering up illegal business deals involving Banrural, a development bank. Colom denied the accusations and ordered an
investigation into Rosenberg’s murder, which was ongoing at year’s end.
In other developments in the fight against impunity, in March 2009 the special prosecutor for human rights, Sergio Morales, released a
landmark report on abuses committed during the civil war, based on military archives. The following day, Morales’s wife, lawyer and
professor Gladys Monterroso, was kidnapped and tortured by unknown assailants. A separate report released in September, based on
archives from the presidency’s social welfare department, indicated that at least 333 children and possibly thousands more were
kidnapped by security forces during the war and sold abroad. In June, Guatemala’s Forensic Anthropology Foundation opened the
country’s first DNA testing lab to identify victims from wartime mass graves. And in August, former paramilitary Felipe Cusanero
became the first person in Guatemala to be convicted of forced disappearances. He was sentenced to 150 years in prison for ordering
the disappearance of six civilians between 1982 and 1984.
Famine conditions in 2009 claimed the lives of at least 460 people, as a combination of rising food prices, prolonged drought, and a drop
in migrant remittances linked to the global economic downturn exacerbated malnourishment, particularly in rural areas. Roughly 80
percent of the population lives below the poverty level and does not benefit from social security. The country also continues to rank high
on inequality indicators, with some 63 percent of gross domestic product concentrated in the hands of 20 percent of the population.
Guatemala is a party to the Dominican Republic–Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) with the United States, and it
joined Venezuela’s Petrocaribe program in July 2008 to receive preferential rates on oil imports.
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Political Rights Score: 4
Civil Liberties Score: 4
Status: Partly Free
Ratings Change
Guatemala’s political rights rating declined from 3 to 4 due to the government’s inability to implement policies and legislation
in the face of pervasive organized crime.
Overview
While President Alvaro Colom struggled in 2009 to curb the corruption and impunity that plague Guatemalan institutions, he himself was
accused of involvement in a scandal surrounding the state-run Banrural bank and the murder of lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg in May.
Separately, the release of a new report on civil war–era human rights abuses in March led to the abduction and torture of the wife of
human rights prosecutor Sergio Morales. Violent crime continued unabated during the year, and civil society activists suffered a number
of threats and attacks.
Colom, who since taking office had dismissed several senior officials in response to scandals, corruption charges, or policy
ineffectiveness, continued his attempts to curb official corruption and impunity in 2009. In March, he established a committee tasked
with declassifying military archives from the civil war era. He also extended the mandate of the UN-backed International Commission
against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), widely considered to be one of the only legitimate public institutions in the country, through
September 2011. The biggest scandal of the year involved the May assassination of lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg, who recorded a video
prior to his death in which he accused Colom of ordering his murder. He also accused First Lady Sandra Torres and top government
officials of covering up illegal business deals involving Banrural, a development bank. Colom denied the accusations and ordered an
investigation into Rosenberg’s murder, which was ongoing at year’s end.
In other developments in the fight against impunity, in March 2009 the special prosecutor for human rights, Sergio Morales, released a
landmark report on abuses committed during the civil war, based on military archives. The following day, Morales’s wife, lawyer and
professor Gladys Monterroso, was kidnapped and tortured by unknown assailants. A separate report released in September, based on
archives from the presidency’s social welfare department, indicated that at least 333 children and possibly thousands more were
kidnapped by security forces during the war and sold abroad. In June, Guatemala’s Forensic Anthropology Foundation opened the
country’s first DNA testing lab to identify victims from wartime mass graves. And in August, former paramilitary Felipe Cusanero
became the first person in Guatemala to be convicted of forced disappearances. He was sentenced to 150 years in prison for ordering
the disappearance of six civilians between 1982 and 1984.
Famine conditions in 2009 claimed the lives of at least 460 people, as a combination of rising food prices, prolonged drought, and a drop
in migrant remittances linked to the global economic downturn exacerbated malnourishment, particularly in rural areas. Roughly 80
percent of the population lives below the poverty level and does not benefit from social security. The country also continues to rank high
on inequality indicators, with some 63 percent of gross domestic product concentrated in the hands of 20 percent of the population.
Guatemala is a party to the Dominican Republic–Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) with the United States, and it
joined Venezuela’s Petrocaribe program in July 2008 to receive preferential rates on oil imports.
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GUATEMALA- CLAUDINA VELÁSQUEZ
RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE, IN GOOD FAITH, WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
“PLEASE DON’T TIRE OR FORGET US”
1 August 2010
19-year-old university student Claudina Velásquez had been studying to become a lawyer when she was shot dead in August 2005.
Amnesty International is deeply concerned that her killers may never be brought to justice as serious deficiencies have been reported in
the murder investigation.
No tests were performed on the primary suspects to establish whether or not they had fired a gun. It is likely that critical forensic
evidence has now been lost and potential witnesses have still not been interviewed. A high number of similar cases in Guatemala are
shelved on the grounds of lack of evidence, due to poorly conducted investigations. Families seeking help from the authorities are often
faced with indifference and discrimination.
Meanwhile, the number of women killed in Guatemala continues to rise: according to government figures, 717 women were killed in
2009, an increase on the previous year. In 2009, Claudina Velásquez father Jorge thanked Amnesty International members for their
support so far: “Thank you, thank you very much for your big hearts... and for your constant and unconditional support in the search
for justice for Claudina, for us and for Guatemala...
Please don’t tire or forget us, keep us always in your hearts, minds and pens; because without you, without your help, we couldn’t
carry on in this struggle that seems to have no end.”
Please write, asking President Álvaro Colom Caballeros what steps have been taken to ensure that Claudina Velásquez’s murder
investigation is conducted in a co-ordinated, full and effective manner so that those responsible can be brought to justice without further
delay. Ask also what steps have been taken to open new lines of investigation and question possible witnesses
Click here to read more »
RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE, IN GOOD FAITH, WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
“PLEASE DON’T TIRE OR FORGET US”
1 August 2010
19-year-old university student Claudina Velásquez had been studying to become a lawyer when she was shot dead in August 2005.
Amnesty International is deeply concerned that her killers may never be brought to justice as serious deficiencies have been reported in
the murder investigation.
No tests were performed on the primary suspects to establish whether or not they had fired a gun. It is likely that critical forensic
evidence has now been lost and potential witnesses have still not been interviewed. A high number of similar cases in Guatemala are
shelved on the grounds of lack of evidence, due to poorly conducted investigations. Families seeking help from the authorities are often
faced with indifference and discrimination.
Meanwhile, the number of women killed in Guatemala continues to rise: according to government figures, 717 women were killed in
2009, an increase on the previous year. In 2009, Claudina Velásquez father Jorge thanked Amnesty International members for their
support so far: “Thank you, thank you very much for your big hearts... and for your constant and unconditional support in the search
for justice for Claudina, for us and for Guatemala...
Please don’t tire or forget us, keep us always in your hearts, minds and pens; because without you, without your help, we couldn’t
carry on in this struggle that seems to have no end.”
Please write, asking President Álvaro Colom Caballeros what steps have been taken to ensure that Claudina Velásquez’s murder
investigation is conducted in a co-ordinated, full and effective manner so that those responsible can be brought to justice without further
delay. Ask also what steps have been taken to open new lines of investigation and question possible witnesses
Click here to read more »
20 January 2010
Guatemala
Events of 2009
Guatemala's weak and corrupt law enforcement institutions have proved incapable of containing the powerful organized crime groups
and criminal gangs that contribute to Guatemala having one the highest violent crime rates in the Americas. Illegal armed groups, which
appear to have evolved in part from counterinsurgency forces operating during the civil war that ended in 1996, are believed to be
responsible for targeted attacks on civil society actors and justice officials. More than a decade after the end of the conflict, impunity
remains the norm when it comes to human rights violations. The ongoing violence and intimidation threaten to reverse the little progress
that has been made toward promoting accountability.
Guatemala ranks third lowest in the United Nations Human Development Index in all of Latin America, and is also one of the most
unequal countries in the region in terms of wealth distribution.
Public Security, Police Conduct, and the Criminal Justice System
Guatemala has one of the highest homicide rates in the hemisphere, reaching 48 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2008. Numbers for the start
of 2009 indicate that the rate may grow even higher.
The existence of clandestine security structures and illegal armed groups or organizations is an important factor contributing to this
violence. These groups employ violence and intimidation in pursuing both political objectives and illicit economic interests, including drug
trafficking. Maintaining links with state officials, they consistently obstruct anti-impunity initiatives.
Powerful and well-organized youth gangs, including the "Mara Salvatrucha" and "Barrio 18," have also contributed to escalating violence
in Guatemala. The gangs use lethal violence against those who defy their control, including gang rivals and former members, individuals
who collaborate with police, and those who refuse to pay extortion money. The gangs are believed to be responsible for the widespread
killings of public transit operators targeted for extortion: in 2008, 165 drivers were murdered, and the killings have continued throughout
2009.
Police have used repressive measures in attempting to curb gang activity, including arbitrary detentions and extrajudicial killings.
Investigations by the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office and NGOs have found police involvement in "social cleansing"-killings
intended to eliminate alleged gang members and criminals.
The Guatemalan justice system has so far proved largely incapable of curbing violence and containing these criminal mafias and gangs.
According to official figures and data from NGOs, 98 percent of all crimes in the country go unpunished. Deficient and corrupt police,
prosecutorial, and judicial systems, and the absence of a systematic witness protection program all contribute to Guatemala's alarmingly
low prosecution rate. Moreover, members of the justice system are routinely subjected to attacks and acts of intimidation: Lawyers'
Rights Watch Canada (LRWC), an NGO, documented the murder of 40 judges and lawyers in Guatemala between 2005 and July 2009,
including four in the first seven months of 2009.
Click here to read more »
Guatemala
Events of 2009
Guatemala's weak and corrupt law enforcement institutions have proved incapable of containing the powerful organized crime groups
and criminal gangs that contribute to Guatemala having one the highest violent crime rates in the Americas. Illegal armed groups, which
appear to have evolved in part from counterinsurgency forces operating during the civil war that ended in 1996, are believed to be
responsible for targeted attacks on civil society actors and justice officials. More than a decade after the end of the conflict, impunity
remains the norm when it comes to human rights violations. The ongoing violence and intimidation threaten to reverse the little progress
that has been made toward promoting accountability.
Guatemala ranks third lowest in the United Nations Human Development Index in all of Latin America, and is also one of the most
unequal countries in the region in terms of wealth distribution.
Public Security, Police Conduct, and the Criminal Justice System
Guatemala has one of the highest homicide rates in the hemisphere, reaching 48 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2008. Numbers for the start
of 2009 indicate that the rate may grow even higher.
The existence of clandestine security structures and illegal armed groups or organizations is an important factor contributing to this
violence. These groups employ violence and intimidation in pursuing both political objectives and illicit economic interests, including drug
trafficking. Maintaining links with state officials, they consistently obstruct anti-impunity initiatives.
Powerful and well-organized youth gangs, including the "Mara Salvatrucha" and "Barrio 18," have also contributed to escalating violence
in Guatemala. The gangs use lethal violence against those who defy their control, including gang rivals and former members, individuals
who collaborate with police, and those who refuse to pay extortion money. The gangs are believed to be responsible for the widespread
killings of public transit operators targeted for extortion: in 2008, 165 drivers were murdered, and the killings have continued throughout
2009.
Police have used repressive measures in attempting to curb gang activity, including arbitrary detentions and extrajudicial killings.
Investigations by the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office and NGOs have found police involvement in "social cleansing"-killings
intended to eliminate alleged gang members and criminals.
The Guatemalan justice system has so far proved largely incapable of curbing violence and containing these criminal mafias and gangs.
According to official figures and data from NGOs, 98 percent of all crimes in the country go unpunished. Deficient and corrupt police,
prosecutorial, and judicial systems, and the absence of a systematic witness protection program all contribute to Guatemala's alarmingly
low prosecution rate. Moreover, members of the justice system are routinely subjected to attacks and acts of intimidation: Lawyers'
Rights Watch Canada (LRWC), an NGO, documented the murder of 40 judges and lawyers in Guatemala between 2005 and July 2009,
including four in the first seven months of 2009.
Click here to read more »
General Debate of the 64th Session (2009)
Guatemala
H.E. Mr. Álvaro Colom Caballeros, President
24 September 2009
Statement Summary
ÁLVARO COLOM CABALLEROS, President of Guatemala, said there were five central topics that were important to his country, which
also had important international dimensions. The first was the international economic and financial crisis, which had strongly impacted
the national economy, though the rapid reaction of the United Nations and the international community in general deserved praise. With
regard to his own Government’s response, he said it had pursued a plan to provide services to the country’s poorest regions, especially
among indigenous communities.
Insecurity caused by organized crime was another central issue, he said, noting that cross-border drug trafficking involved such a
volume of financial gain that international cooperation to combat it was essential. The Government had made significant strides in
seizing drug shipments. In terms of international efforts, he highlighted the crucial role played by the United Nations, through the
International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala.
Turning to Honduras, he said his Government supported a return to democracy and the return of the rightful President. At home, the
Government was committed to protecting free expression and access to information. As for arms, each country had a right to arm
itself, but not to engage in illicit arms trading. He urged States to continue to work in solidarity with the poor and concluded by saying:
“If we support those who have little, in the end we will all have more.”
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Guatemala
H.E. Mr. Álvaro Colom Caballeros, President
24 September 2009
Statement Summary
ÁLVARO COLOM CABALLEROS, President of Guatemala, said there were five central topics that were important to his country, which
also had important international dimensions. The first was the international economic and financial crisis, which had strongly impacted
the national economy, though the rapid reaction of the United Nations and the international community in general deserved praise. With
regard to his own Government’s response, he said it had pursued a plan to provide services to the country’s poorest regions, especially
among indigenous communities.
Insecurity caused by organized crime was another central issue, he said, noting that cross-border drug trafficking involved such a
volume of financial gain that international cooperation to combat it was essential. The Government had made significant strides in
seizing drug shipments. In terms of international efforts, he highlighted the crucial role played by the United Nations, through the
International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala.
Turning to Honduras, he said his Government supported a return to democracy and the return of the rightful President. At home, the
Government was committed to protecting free expression and access to information. As for arms, each country had a right to arm
itself, but not to engage in illicit arms trading. He urged States to continue to work in solidarity with the poor and concluded by saying:
“If we support those who have little, in the end we will all have more.”
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Utopia Magazine was presented
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The magazine Utopia, was debuted to people of Guatemala by the Defender of Human Rights.
In his speech launching Dr. Morales Alvarado, said: "Today's event has been called to release a result more of our work: the magazine
Utopia, reflections on human rights. As all of you know, blood flows in my veins communicator and journalist. That's why I put so
much emphasis on projects aimed at foster communication, understood as a two-way street, and all that allows understanding among
human beings. "
Elsewhere in his post on PDH magazine explained that in Utopia, the first value wished to highlight was the view of encouraging
communication from its importance as enabled the exchange of ideas, the dialectic of reason, which makes it possible syntheses higher
and higher in the permanent walking into that place that does not yet exist, but believe deeply as possible: a society that respects the
dignity and freedom of all human beings.
With the introduction of the magazine, culminating activities to commemorate the 23rd anniversary the entity responsible for ensuring
respect for human rights in our country.
Click here to read more »
Utopia Magazine was presented
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The magazine Utopia, was debuted to people of Guatemala by the Defender of Human Rights.
In his speech launching Dr. Morales Alvarado, said: "Today's event has been called to release a result more of our work: the magazine
Utopia, reflections on human rights. As all of you know, blood flows in my veins communicator and journalist. That's why I put so
much emphasis on projects aimed at foster communication, understood as a two-way street, and all that allows understanding among
human beings. "
Elsewhere in his post on PDH magazine explained that in Utopia, the first value wished to highlight was the view of encouraging
communication from its importance as enabled the exchange of ideas, the dialectic of reason, which makes it possible syntheses higher
and higher in the permanent walking into that place that does not yet exist, but believe deeply as possible: a society that respects the
dignity and freedom of all human beings.
With the introduction of the magazine, culminating activities to commemorate the 23rd anniversary the entity responsible for ensuring
respect for human rights in our country.
Click here to read more »
Human Rights in Guatemala
Guatemala is a country left in pieces due to a long-lasting civil war. The Guatemalan Civil War lasted from 1960-1996. The
Marxist revolutionaries fought a violent conflict for control of the country with the government in power.
Verfasst von FHRG Team am 2010.07.18 um 13:26:00 Uhr
The CIA trained the Guatemalan government for war against the communist insurgency, and thus, they easily dispatched the Guatemalan
Labour Party’s forces in the beginning of the civil war. Several other communists and far-left socialist militaries rose up against the
autocratic government of Guatemala.
Marxist ideology swept across South America, inspiring the poor and inspiring more revolts in Guatemala. An estimated number of
40,000 to 50,000 people disappeared in the war, kidnapped by Death Squads on both sides of the conflict, though the Guatemalan
government was responsible for more human rights violations than the revolutionaries.
Reports from the Human Rights Watch reveal that over 83% of the victims of extrajudicial killings and kidnappings were of the Mayan
ethnicity. Members of the Guatemalan national military committed unspeakable atrocities: the rape of captured women, the brutal beating
of infants, burying thousands of villagers alive, burning villagers alive, dismembering limbs, mutilating genitalia, and cutting off noses on
living victims.
Modern day Guatemala is a fragmented democracy. Government corruption makes any real advances in social policy and infrastructural
reform a remote possibility. 2% of the population of Guatemala owns over 90% of the economy, with 98% of the population owning
less than 10%.
While there has been much uproar across the world to bring justice to the progenitors of the current government, there have only been a
limited number of investigations into the mass disappearances of villages and rebels. Felipe Cusanero was sentenced to a 150-year jail
term in 2009, which was a enormous step forward for the justice movement in Guatemala.
New declassified documents released by the CIA show that the United States was well-aware of the human rights violations in
Guatemala as early as 1960. Since the US had their foreign interests in mind, they ignored the wanton slaughter of the populace, caring
more about the spread of communism than the sickening violation of rights in the nation.
We can only hope that the coming decades will show change for Guatemala. International human rights organizations promise that they
will keep a close eye on the transitional government, and prevent any gross violations from ever happening again.
“We can only hope for a better union,” says Carlos Piente, leader of the South American Union for Peaceable Living.
Click here to read more>>
Guatemala is a country left in pieces due to a long-lasting civil war. The Guatemalan Civil War lasted from 1960-1996. The
Marxist revolutionaries fought a violent conflict for control of the country with the government in power.
Verfasst von FHRG Team am 2010.07.18 um 13:26:00 Uhr
The CIA trained the Guatemalan government for war against the communist insurgency, and thus, they easily dispatched the Guatemalan
Labour Party’s forces in the beginning of the civil war. Several other communists and far-left socialist militaries rose up against the
autocratic government of Guatemala.
Marxist ideology swept across South America, inspiring the poor and inspiring more revolts in Guatemala. An estimated number of
40,000 to 50,000 people disappeared in the war, kidnapped by Death Squads on both sides of the conflict, though the Guatemalan
government was responsible for more human rights violations than the revolutionaries.
Reports from the Human Rights Watch reveal that over 83% of the victims of extrajudicial killings and kidnappings were of the Mayan
ethnicity. Members of the Guatemalan national military committed unspeakable atrocities: the rape of captured women, the brutal beating
of infants, burying thousands of villagers alive, burning villagers alive, dismembering limbs, mutilating genitalia, and cutting off noses on
living victims.
Modern day Guatemala is a fragmented democracy. Government corruption makes any real advances in social policy and infrastructural
reform a remote possibility. 2% of the population of Guatemala owns over 90% of the economy, with 98% of the population owning
less than 10%.
While there has been much uproar across the world to bring justice to the progenitors of the current government, there have only been a
limited number of investigations into the mass disappearances of villages and rebels. Felipe Cusanero was sentenced to a 150-year jail
term in 2009, which was a enormous step forward for the justice movement in Guatemala.
New declassified documents released by the CIA show that the United States was well-aware of the human rights violations in
Guatemala as early as 1960. Since the US had their foreign interests in mind, they ignored the wanton slaughter of the populace, caring
more about the spread of communism than the sickening violation of rights in the nation.
We can only hope that the coming decades will show change for Guatemala. International human rights organizations promise that they
will keep a close eye on the transitional government, and prevent any gross violations from ever happening again.
“We can only hope for a better union,” says Carlos Piente, leader of the South American Union for Peaceable Living.
Click here to read more>>
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Alvaro Colom Caballeros
President since 14 January 2008
President since 14 January 2008
Rafael Espada
Vice President since 14 January 2008
Vice President since 14 January 2008
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
Current situation: Guatemala is a source, transit, and destination country for Guatemalans and Central Americans trafficked for
the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; human trafficking is a significant and growing problem in the
country; Guatemalan women and children are trafficked within the country for commercial sexual exploitation, primarily to Mexico
and the United States; Guatemalan men, women, and children are also trafficked within the country, and to Mexico and the United
States, for forced labor
Tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, Guatemala is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide
evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, particularly with respect to ensuring that trafficking offenders are
appropriately prosecuted for their crimes; while prosecutors initiated trafficking prosecutions, they continued to face problems in
court with application of Guatemala's comprehensive anti-trafficking law; the government made modest improvements to its
protection efforts, but assistance remained inadequate overall in 2007 (2008)
the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; human trafficking is a significant and growing problem in the
country; Guatemalan women and children are trafficked within the country for commercial sexual exploitation, primarily to Mexico
and the United States; Guatemalan men, women, and children are also trafficked within the country, and to Mexico and the United
States, for forced labor
Tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, Guatemala is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide
evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons, particularly with respect to ensuring that trafficking offenders are
appropriately prosecuted for their crimes; while prosecutors initiated trafficking prosecutions, they continued to face problems in
court with application of Guatemala's comprehensive anti-trafficking law; the government made modest improvements to its
protection efforts, but assistance remained inadequate overall in 2007 (2008)
Alvaro Colom Caballeros
President since 14 January 2008
President since 14 January 2008
