...As a matter of scholarship, civil wars lack the extensive breadth and volume of study that interstate conflict enjoys in international relations. This is especially surprising considering the remarkable longevity and death toll associated with intrastate wars. The Republic of Guatemala, a post-colonial representative democracy, is the most populous Central American country; incidentally, this nation of sixteen and a half million people have been wrought with the military and socio-political disputes provoked by the ethnic and socio-economic status of its citizens. The resulting civil war had been one of the most deadly and enduring military contests on the American continent. The fighting between the government and rebel groups lasted over...
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...Following is a annotated bibliography of the secondary sources I have already read on the subject: Catholic Institute for International Relations and Latin America Bureau. Guatemala, Never Again! (London: Orbis Books, 1999). This book is a compilation of eye-witness testimonies from the Guatemalan Civil War. Written by archbishop Juan Gerardi, who was assassinated after the publication, the extensive book outlines the war crimes committed by the military throughout the war and the effect the conflict has had on the indigenous population. Containing several testimonies from victims in the Huehuetenango district, the book will serve as the foundational historical text for my oral history of the same region. Harms, Patricia. “Stumbling Our Way to the Mark: Guatemalan Mennonites in the Era of Ríos Montt, 1980-1984.” Journal of Mennonite Studies 32 (2014): 115-138....
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...The Cold War which lasted from 1947-1991 was waged around the policy of containment, the democratic idea to limit communism to the areas already under Soviet control. President Truman of the United States passed the Truman Doctrine whose foundation was in containment. America’s fear of communism was so great they implemented their policy across the globe. Throughout the Cold War, the United States never had physical confrontation with the Soviets, but America fought to end the spread of communism in China, Germany, Cuba, Guatemala, Korea, and Vietnam. The communist ideals of Karl Marx inspired revolutionaries in Russia, such as Vladimir Lenin, and his socialist reforms began to spread across Eastern Europe and Asia in the 1920s. Chinese...
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...Bronte Barnes 30. 4. 2016 Spanish 1 Guatemala Guatemala is country located in central American, surrounded by the waters of the Pacific and Caribbean. Its name comes from two Spanish meaning “the snake eating bird” and “land of the forest” which is derived in 1523, from one of the Mayan dialects spoken by indigenous people at the time of the of Spanish Conquest. Although it is still used by outsiders as well as citizens today, many descendants of the original still prefer to Identify themselves by he names of their specific language dialects instead. Persons of mixed or non-indigenous race and heritage may be called Ladino, a term that today indicates adherence to Western, as opposed to indigenous, culture patterns, and may be applied to acculturated Indians, as well as others. A small group of African–Americans, known as Garifuna, lives on the Atlantic coast, but their culture is more closely related to those found in other Caribbean nations than to the cultures of Guatemala itself (Richard Adams). The national culture was also influenced by it’s arrivals of different ethnic, such as Germans, Europeans and etc. This made the Country rich but also created histories of violence and wars. Unfortunately this help make the country poor. Hundreds of years ago, the Mayan Indian and other tribe that lived in villages and mountains made gorgeous clothing and textiles. Guatemala is also a country of tradition, and many Indians still wears the traditional costumes. Although there...
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...Guatemala is a country located in Central America. It has a population of about 15.47 million and the size of 42,043 square miles. Guatemala has many economic and social challenges. Its problems continue to grow. They have the fifth highest murder rate of any country in the world, and seventy five percent of its population are living below the poverty line. Children that are raised in Guatemala are accustomed to the idea that guns are normal, whether it is for protection or violence. “The number of serious crimes that go on, causes people to be afraid and to deem it necessary to carry weapons, like guns. For example, at local gas stations a security guard carrying a gun at the entrance to protect against the theft and crime that goes on (Elbein 1). Children may be getting accustomed to this, but they do not desire to live like this. Many of these children want to have a job that they can earn more than minimum wage. Unfortunately, for the majority of the children that is an unobtainable goal. This is why many children choose to leave the country. They want to live in a country where they are not struggling for every dollar, and they are not in constant danger. The consequences of the next generation of children emigrating could turn into a serious issue, as a result the population of...
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...Guatemalans will not have justice unless the U.S. stops assisting war criminals like Molina. KEY CONCEPTS One important concept in the editorial is the Guatemalan genocide. From 1960 to 1996, a civil war between the U.S.-influenced Guatemalan puppet/dictator government and the indigenous Maya population ensued. This resulted in a genocide against the minority Mayans, and left 200,000 Mayans dead or missing, along with many towns and villages completely destroyed. This is important to know when discussing the justice of Guatemalans because it was the event that brought injustice upon the Guatemalans in the first place. Without this genocide, there would be no leaders with their innocence in question. Another important concept is political...
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...Guatemala has one of the highest homicide rates in the world resulting the underlying motives and patterns throughout society, one of these is gender based violence. Guatemala is seen as one of the most dangerous places to inhabit, especially for women. During the Guatemalan Civil War in the 60s, enslaving of indigenous women was rather common along with rape being used as a weapon. In 1996 there was an agreement between insurgents and the government. Society was highly impacted after the war and those same acts that were used during war occurred so often, that they were eventually entrenched into the culture Guatemala. Therefore, the consequences due to the country’s history has highly impacted the treatment of women in Guatemala.The word...
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...In many South American countries, the twentieth century is known for its political instability and the dictatorship under dishonorable and deceitful rulers. Despite vast natural resources, many countries continue to struggle with the social consequences of widespread poverty and social depression. To top that, the countries Chile and Guatemala had to deal with the overthrowing of their government and leaders which ultimately led into a disruptive society and economy. Both leaders Salvador Allende and Jacobo Arbenz Guzman were viewed as deceiving and disorderly by outer countries, specifically the U.S. which helped with both rebellions. Salvador Allende and “the Road to Socialism” Salvador Allende’s original plan was to become a physician....
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...In this paper I will be arguing the importance for development efforts to specifically address the needs indigenous populations to promote sustainable livelihoods, while preserving their indigenous identities and rights.. These topics will be explored through a brief examination of the history on Guatemalan rights and discrimination, and through examining the evolution of corporate development efforts, NGO work and their involvement with the Maya. This paper will also discuss criticisms of current models. Key Words: Development, Indigenous Rights, Sustainable Livelihoods The Evolution of Economic and Rights-Based Development for the Indigenous Maya of Guatemala It is well established that indigenous populations tend to be disproportionately...
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...overview of the textile industries in two emerging countries: Guatemala and India. The document analyses, compares and contrast the differences in the institutional structures of both countries and offers specific details and analysis of the textile industries for local and international businesses. Guatemala Republic of Guatemala is located in Central America bordered by Mexico to the North, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, and Belize to the North East Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast. The country is mountainous with small desert and sand dune patches, having many hills filled with people, except for the south coastal area and the vast northern lowlands of Petén department. Two mountain chains enter Guatemala from west to east, dividing the country into three major regions: the highlands, where the mountains are located; the Pacific coast, south of the mountains; and the Petén region, north of the mountains. All major cities are located in the highlands and Pacific coast regions; by comparison, Petén is sparsely populated. These three regions vary in climate, elevation, and landscape, providing dramatic contrasts between hot and humid tropical lowlands and colder and drier highland peaks. Volcán Tajumulco, at 4,220 meters, is the highest point in the Central American states. Demographics Guatemala is a country of youth; 70% of its population is less than thirty years old. The capital city, Guatemala, is located in the geographical heart of the country and...
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...Imperialism is one of the many ways in which the United States has influenced immigration from Latin and Central America into the United States. The United States’s desire to expand their territory and protect their wealth has led them into Latin American territories such as Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador time after time. As a result of this incursion a massive wave of immigration occurred, which led Latin Americans to rush into the U.S. to escape the economic and political pressures created by U.S. intervention. The political violence and economic instability of Guatemala and El Salvador, along with the forced invasion of Mexican territory by the United States, have all shaped the experiences of these countries. I will examine how imperialistic...
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...Nicaragua charged the United States with engaging in military activities and directly violating the Charters of the United Nations (citation needed). After both countries presented their argument, the Court unanimously (aside from the American judge) ordered the United States to cease their “covert” war against Nicaragua. On January 18, 1985, the United States announced it would not further continue on the case. Case Study: Guatemala Similarly to the case of Nicaragua, Guatemala’s democracy was also undermined when the United States staged a coup and overthrew President Jacobo Arbenz. As I stated earlier over prosecutors viewing as America’s intentions as insincere, it will be particularly shown in the case of Guatemala. America’s intentions aren’t clear; while the U.S claimed the intervention was to prevent the spread of communism, the line gets murky with their own business interests. The United Fruit...
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...The Cold War and War on Terror were literally not any typical war that we witnessed throughout history. Although, they were unique and each had their own causes and effects, yet in some ways they are connected. In the Cold War, was a war between two superpowers enemies but no actual fighting occurred, however, there was a stockpile of nuclear weapons and money was being spent like an actually Wars being fought. This war causes a bipolar system in the world where there were two dominant powers fighting to become the dominant power. The Cold War was a real complicated war because it was more a fight about ideology, Democracy and Communism. The attacks of 9/11 that caused the death of 3000 Americans, have reshaped and changed the way Americans...
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...El Salvador, the smallest Central American country, has faced some of great challenges including civil war, gang violence, earthquakes, etc. There has been a lot of violence between gangs in El Salvador. These gangs are called ‘Mara Salvatrucha 13’ and ‘Barrio 18’, and they’ve also been fighting against government forces. As fighting between the two criminal groups has been rising in these recent months, so has the death toll in El Salvador. The gangs are fighting over control & power of the streets. One thing they already have is the fear of the people. Even if the people are not part of the conflict, they do have an important part in it. These indigenous people can’t defend themselves because they fear for their lives & also their relatives. They also live in poorly conditions. After the civil war that happen in 1980-1992, they have been living in extreme poverty. They live off on less than $1 per day in shelters without running water or electricity. They barely have access to health and education services. Violence spreads around El Salvador in both...
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...cultural values. Provide specific examples and justify your answer. Country selected: Guatemala There are two distinctly different cultures that very in their non-verbal use—the Ladinos of European descent and the Mayans. Differences in these sub-cultures of the Guatemalan culture are very important to know, especially when conducting business. Without knowing the culture of a country, business can be slow and sometimes offensive, making it a hard deal to close. Ladino Guatemalans come in very close contact and are very hands on in their approach. A kiss on the cheek along with firm handshakes, direct eye contact, and public displays of affection are very common. These personal non-verbal approaches reinforce the cultures value of family and personal relationships. In the Mayan culture, direct eye contact as well as touching can be seen as disrespectful to some. Also in direct opposition to the Ladinos, the Mayan culture has a very limp handshake, where a firm handshake is very uncommon. These non-verbal approaches reinforce the culture’s values of conservatism. Knowing such practices can be valuable to anyone who is visiting the country, especially business partners. Knowing such things will save you from offending others when you think that a firm handshake shows confidence and pride, where in their culture is offensive and awkward. Hand Gesture to Avoid in Guatemala: La Mano Caliente When most people think of nonverbal communication, gesturing immediately...
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