US Foreign Policy Guatemala

Independent Analyst View:

Guatemala is like a majority of nations in the world which lack a sustainable economy. (The US is also confronting the challenge for economic sustainability.) Two starting positions should be the foundation for US Foreign Policy:

1. Recognizing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as it applies to Guatemala.

2. Recognizing the specific and unique social, environmental, economic, and political situation in Guatemala.

Looking at the CIA World Factbook, one can see the starting condition assuming the CIA is keeping the facts current. (Sometimes the book is out of date.) Second, listen to the US State Department for policy specifics. Then, go back to the two items above to reconcile the appropriateness of today's policy.

"The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments, as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the internal conflict, which had left more than 200,000 people dead and had created, by some estimates, about 1 million refugees." 

CIA World Factbook

An anthropologist from Guatemala provides a historical overview that is better than the "official documents." Her assessment is published by The New York Times.

Consider her report that spans 1954 to 2013. Several points are made:

1. Capitalists exploit the nation without regard for Democracy.

2. US Governments favor capitalists aka corporations over democratic principles.

3. US Presidents, including prominent Republicans, supported policies that resulted in the massacre of populations.

"Guatemala Suffered for U.S. Foreign Policy
Irma Alicia Velasquez Nimatuj 

Irma Alicia Velasquez Nimatuj, a member of the K´iche´ ethnic group, is a social anthropologist. She writes a weekly column for ElPeriodico, a national Guatemalan newspaper 

MAY 19, 2013, 7:01 PM 

The inequalities that led to the armed conflict in Guatemala and eventually to genocide against the Mayan population are embedded in a long history of colonization, dispossession, exclusion, contempt and structural racism. 

But these inequalities were exacerbated in 1954 when the United States, in the name of anticommunism and in the defense corporate interests of the United Fruit Company, helped depose the democratic government of Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán. 

By financing and training counterinsurgency forces that slaughtered indigenous people, the United States shares blame for genocide. 

From that moment on, the United States assured that an ultraconservative line remained in power until 1985. The United States financed brutal counterinsurgency campaigns with forces it trained in the School of the Americas. By interfering in state policies and it shared responsibility for the genocidal campaigns carried out by the military regimes in Guatemala, including the government of Ríos Montt. 

Ronald Reagan, in particular, supported and exalted the regime of Ríos Montt, reducing the massacres and dehumanization of indigenous communities to a “bum rap” for Ríos Montt. The anticommunist sentiment shared by the two leaders provided an incentive for the armed forces to continue carrying out a genocide against the 22 Maya groups of the country. 

The long-term effects of the massacres are not only visible in the loss of lives and brilliant minds but on the current fragmentations of Guatemalan society. U.S. foreign policy tore apart the social fabric of the country. These policies struck the indigenous population mercilessly, especially in rural areas. Unfortunately, the manner in which Ríos Montt’s defense behaved at trial hindered the possibility of learning more about the U.S. role in Guatemala directly from the ex-dictator.  

The tide has somewhat turned. In 1999, President Bill Clinton, during his visit to Guatemala, recognized and apologized for the errors committed in our country. The U.S. embassy of the United States has said the Ríos Montt verdict should be respected, earning the wrath of the business sector, conservatives and the military, which find their former ally’s current stance treasonous. 

But what does this mean for Guatemalans after the damage has been done? What will U.S. economic, technical and possibly military support mean for the future of the country when we have an administration headed by a former military leader who, alongside his cabinet, continues to criminalize social movements and indigenous people? 

This moment is only the beginning of a long process for indigenous peoples to restore the collective historical memory of the country and to regain the dignity of which we have been robbed.  

The United States should accept its responsibility not only by issuing apologies but also by actively working to make sure its current foreign policies don’t contribute to a new wave of abuses against indigenous people who still have a long struggle ahead." 

https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/05/19/what-guilt-does-the-us-bear-in-guatemala/guatemala-suffered-for-us-foreign-policy

From the CIA World Factbook

Economy: GUATEMALA
Overview: 

Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America with a GDP per capita roughly half the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for 13.5% of GDP and 31% of the labor force; principal agricultural exports include sugar, coffee, bananas, and vegetables. Guatemala is the top remittance recipient in Central America as a result of Guatemala's large expatriate community in the US. These inflows are a primary source of foreign income, equivalent to two-thirds of the country's exports and about a tenth of its GDP. 

The 1996 peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a significant obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala has since pursued significant reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force in July 2006, spurring increased investment and diversification of exports, with the most significant increases in ethanol and non-traditional agricultural commodities. While CAFTA-DR 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 wealthiest 20% of the population accounting for more than 51% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line, and 23% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up more than 40% of the people, averages 79%, with 40% of the indigenous people living in extreme poverty. Nearly one-half of Guatemala's children under age five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world. 

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$137.8 billion (2017 est.)
$133.7 billion (2016 est.)
$128.4 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 78"

Observe that Guatemala is not the worst country in the world regarding the economy. Poorly governed, Guatemala would benefit from the following:

1. Favorable trading partner relationship with the US

2. Commitment by the US government to work with corporations to address systemic economic needs with a focus on engineering a sustainable economy.

3. Working with Guatemala to develop a government committed to upholding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Note: The trouble is, the American government under the current regime is not committed to providing Americans with a sustainable economy and is abusing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The People

The Location

Guatemala