Background Notes: Guatemala
PA/PC
Source: Office of Public Communication, Bureau of Public
Affairs
Date: Apr 15, 19924/15/92
Category: Country Data
Region: Central America
Country: Guatemala
Subject: Military Affairs, Cultural Exchange, Travel,
History, International Organizations
[TEXT]
Official Name: Republic of Guatemala
PROFILE
Geography
Area: 108,780 sq. km. (42,000 sq. mi.); about the size of Tennessee.
Cities: Capital--Guatemala City (pop. 1.9 million). Other major
cities--Quezaltenango (72,000 est.), Escuintla (87,000 est.).
Terrain: Mountainous, with fertile coastal plain. Climate: Temperate
in highlands; semitropical on coasts.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Guatemalan(s). Population (1990
est.): 9 million. Annual population growth rate: 3%. Ethnic groups:
Mestizo (mixed Spanish-Indian), Indian. Religions: Roman Catholic,
Protestant, traditional Mayan. Languages: Spanish, 23 Indian
languages (Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi). Education: Years
compulsory--6. Attendance--35%. Literacy--52%. Health: Infant
mortality rate--73/1,000. Life expectancy--60 yrs., 44 yrs.
(Indian pop.). Work force: Agriculture--36%. Industry and
commerce--24%. Services--34%. Construction, mining, utilities--
4%.
Government
Type: Constitutional democratic republic. Independence: September
15, 1821.
Branches: Executive--president. Legislative--Congress.
Judiciary--Supreme Court of Justice (9 members).
Subdivisions: 22 departments and Guatemala City.
Political parties: Christian Democratic Party (DCG), Union of
the National Center (UCN), National Liberation Movement (MLN),
Nationalist Authentic Central (CAN), Democratic Institutional Party
(PID), Democratic Party of National Cooperation (PDCN), National
Renewal Party (PNR), Revolutionary Party (PR), Social Democratic
Party (PSD), National United Front (FUN), Organized Nationalistic
Unity (UNO), Solidarity Action Movement (MAS), Popular Alliance 5
(AP5), and Emerging Movement for Harmony (MEC).
Central government budget (1990 est.): $1.1 billion (10% of
GDP).
Flag: Blue and white vertical stripes. Centered is a coat of
arms with a green and scarlet quetzal bird perched on a scroll
framed by a wreath.
Economy
GDP (1990 est.): $10 billion. Annual growth rate (1990): 3%. Per
capita GDP: $1,300.
Natural resources: Oil, nickel, timber.
Agriculture (23% of GDP): Products--corn, beans, coffee,
cotton, cattle, sugar, bananas, timber, rice, cardamom.
Manufacturing (13% of GDP): Types--prepared food, textiles,
construction materials, tires, pharmaceuticals.
Trade (19% of 1990 GDP): Exports--$1.1 billion: coffee,
cotton, sugar, meat, cardamom, bananas, petroleum. Major markets-
-US 39%, Central American Common Market (CACM) 25%, Germany
5%, Japan 3%. Imports--$1.6 billion: fuels and lubricants, industrial
machinery, motor vehicles, iron and steel. Major markets--US 40%,
CACM, and Europe. Major suppliers--US 39% of imports, CACM,
Mexico, Europe, Venezuela, Japan.
Exchange rate (1991): US$1= 5.10 quetzals.
US assistance: Bilateral official development assistance FY
1990: economic $118 million; military $3.3 million (suspended
December 1990).
PEOPLE
More than half of Guatemala's population are descendants of Maya
Indians. Ladinos--Westernized Mayans and mestizos (Spanish-
Indian)--live in a crescent-shaped area running from the northern
border on the Pacific, along the coastal plains, and up through
Guatemala City to the Caribbean. Most of Guatemala's population is
rural, although urbanization is accelerating.
The predominant religion is Roman Catholicism, which many
Indians have superimposed onto their traditional forms of worship.
Protestantism and traditional Mayan religious practices account for
an estimated 30% of the population. Although the official language
is Spanish, it is not universally understood by the Indians.
HISTORY
The great Mayan civilization flourished throughout much of
Guatemala and surrounding territories before the Spanish conquest.
In 1523-24, the Mayans were defeated by Pedro de Alvarado. Under
Spanish colonial rule the Captaincy-General of Guatemala extended
throughout Central America. The first colonial capital, Ciudad
Vieja, was ruined by flood and earthquake in 1542. Survivors
founded Antigua, the second capital, in 1543. In the 17th century, it
became one of the richest capitals in the New World. Always
vulnerable to volcanic eruptions, floods, and earthquakes, it was
destroyed by two earthquakes in 1773, but the remnants of its
magnificent Spanish colonial architecture have been preserved as a
national monument. The third capital, Guatemala City, was founded
in 1776, after Antigua was abandoned.
Since gaining independence from Spain on September 15,
1821, first as part of the Mexican Empire and then as part of the
American Federation, Guatemala has had a turbulent history. After
the federation's dissolution in 1840, the country passed through a
series of dictatorships broken only by short periods of
representative government.
With the overthrow of Gen. Jorge Ubico's dictatorship in 1944
by the "October Revolutionaries"--dissident military officers,
students, and liberal professionals--Guatemalans set about
modernizing the society. Social reforms begun under President Juan
Jose Arevalo (1945-50) were continued by his successor, Col.
Jacobo Arbenz.
Col. Arbenz permitted a communist party (Guatemalan Labor
Party) to gain legal status in 1952. By the mid-point of Arbenz's
term, communists controlled key peasant organizations, labor
unions, and the governing political party, holding some key
government positions.
Despite most Guatemalans' attachment to the ideals of the
1944 revolution, with which Arbenz identified his administration,
key segments of society and the military viewed his policies as a
menace. The army refused to defend the government when a group
led by Col. Carlos Castillo Armas invaded the country from Honduras
in 1954 and eventually took over the government. The assassination
of President Castillo in 1957 precipitated a period of confusion
from which Gen. Miguel Ydigoras Fuentes emerged as president in
1958.
A 1960 revolt by junior military officers failed, and some of
the participants went into hiding, creating the nucleus of a
guerrilla movement which established close ties with Cuba. In
early 1963, a new military group, headed by Col. Enrique Peralta
Azurdia, restored order. However, the unconstitutional nature of the
regime created disaffection, played upon by the guerrillas,
especially among students. A Constituent Assembly drafted a new
constitution, promulgated in September 1965. The moderate
Revolutionary Party won the presidency by a plurality in the 1966
elections.
Shortly after President Julio Cesar Mendez Montenegro took
office, the army launched a major counter insurgency campaign that
largely broke up the guerrilla movement in the countryside. The
guerrillas concentrated their attacks in Guatemala City, where they
assassinated many leading figures, including US Ambassador John
Gordon Mein, in 1968. The new president, Gen. Carlos Arana (1970-
74), declared a state of siege, and an intense anti-terrorist
campaign forced terrorist groups to reduce their activity markedly.
Gen. Kjell Laugerud Garcia was declared winner of the disputed
1974 elections. During his administration, political violence
decreased, and there was greater freedom of expression.
Gen. Fernando Romeo Lucas Garcia was inaugurated on July 1,
1978, and promised to attack vigorously Guatemala's socioeconomic
problems; however, political violence increased. Three principal
left-wing guerrilla groups--the Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP),
the Revolutionary Organization of Armed People (ORPA), and the
Rebel Armed Forces (FAR)--conducted economic sabotage and
targeted government installations and members of government
security forces in armed attacks. These three organizations have
since combined with a fourth guerrilla organization, the outlawed
communist party (PGT), to form the Guatemalan National
Revolutionary Unity (URNG). At the same time, extreme right-wing
groups of self-appointed vigilantes, such as the Secret Anti-
Communist Army (ESA) and the White Hand, tortured and murdered
students, professionals, and peasants, whom they suspected were
involved in leftist activities. As the March 7, 1982, elections
approached, political violence steadily increased as guerrillas
sought to disrupt the electoral process.
The winner by plurality was former Defense Minister Gen.
Anibal Guevara. Opposition parties, however, claimed electoral
fraud. On the morning of March 23, 1982, the National Palace in
Guatemala City was surrounded by army troops commanded by junior
officers. The coup leaders asked Brig. Gen. Efrain Jose Rios Mont to
negotiate the departure of Gen. Lucas. Rios Mont had been the
candidate of the Christian Democratic Party in the 1974
presidential elections and was widely believed to have lost by
fraud.
Rios Mont headed a junta that canceled the 1965 constitution,
dissolved the Congress, suspended political parties, and canceled
the election law. On June 9, Rios Mont accepted the resignations of
the two other junta members and assumed the title of President of
the Republic. The Rios Mont Government imposed a state of siege on
July 1, 1982, severely restricting civil liberties, and created a
system of special courts, which were completely independent of the
regular judiciary. Politically, Rios Mont formed an advisory Council
of State to assist him in returning the nation to democracy. In
1983, a series of electoral laws was promulgated, the state of
siege was lifted, and political activity was once again allowed. The
Rios Mont Government scheduled Constituent Assembly elections for
July 1, 1984.
Guerrilla forces denounced the new government and stepped up
their attacks. Rios Mont sought to combat them through military
actions and economic reforms, or, in his words, through "rifles and
beans." The government also formed civilian defense forces and
achieved success in containing the insurgency. Disturbances
occurred within the government on June 29, leading to the
imposition of a state of alarm and a shake-up of Rios Mont's
advisers. Coup rumors continued, and on August 8, 1983, Rios Mont
was deposed by the Guatemalan Army.
The Minister of Defense, Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores, was
proclaimed head of state on August 8. Gen. Mejia claimed that a
group of "religious fanatics" was abusing their positions in the
government and that corruption had to be weeded out. The Mejia
Government quickly abolished the controversial courts of special
jurisdiction. Constituent Assembly elections were held on July 1,
1984. On May 30, 1985, after 9 months of debate, the Constituent
Assembly finished drafting a new constitution which went into
effect on January 14, 1986. Chief of State Mejia called general
elections--president, congress, mayor, and city councils--for
November 3, 1985. A run-off election was held on December 8. The
Christian Democratic Party of Guatemala (DCG) candidate, Vinicio
Cerezo, won the presidency, receiving almost 70% of the vote. The
DCG won 51 of the 100 seats in the national congress.
The first 2 years of Cerezo's administration were
characterized by a stable economy and a marked decrease in the
level of politically motivated violence. The Cerezo Government was
able to withstand two attempted coups (May 1988 and May 1989)
that marked the onset of renewed political and general violence. The
Cerezo Administration was heavily criticized for its lack of
willingness to investigate or prosecute cases of human rights
violations. The final 2 years of Cerezo's Government were also
marked by a failing economy, strikes, protest marches, and
allegations of widespread corruption. The government's inability to
deal with many of the nation's problems--infant mortality,
illiteracy, deficient health and social services, and rising levels of
violence--contributed to a sense of discontent among the
population.
Presidential and congressional elections were held on
November 11, 1990, and Jorge Serrano was inaugurated on January
14, 1991. These elections marked the first transition from one
democratically elected civilian government to another in modern
times.
Current Political Situation
In his inaugural speech, Serrano announced an ambitious human
rights program with its centerpiece being an end to immunity from
prosecution for human rights violations. He also made clear his
intention to control the army. Serrano announced that his
government, with the support of the army, would meet with the
guerrillas to negotiate an end to the 30-year-long insurgency.
Serrano's first 6 months as president saw continuing violence
and an elevated crime rate, but the administration kept its promise
and initiated a series of serious negotiations with the URNG.
Serrano's Government also prosecuted corrupt government officials
and has arrested the former heads of the national electrical utility
and the head of the national telephone company. The government has
also begun to serve warrants against members of the para-military
civil patrols accused of serious human rights violations, including
murder, and has prosecuted and convicted police officers accused of
beating and, in some cases, murdering street children.
Principal Government Officials
President--Jorge SERRANO Elias
Vice President--Gustavo ESPINA Salguero
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Gonzalo MENENDEZ Park
Ambassador to the US--Juan Jose CASO-FANJUL
Ambassador to the UN--Francisco VILLAGRAN de Leon
Ambassador to the OAS --Vacant
Guatemala maintains an embassy in the United States at 2220 R
Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-745-4952), and
consulates in New York, Miami, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles, as
well as an honorary consul in New Orleans.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Upon its inauguration in January 1986, the new civilian government
announced that ending political violence and establishing the rule of
law would be its top priorities. To that end the President undertook
a reorganization of the police forces and disbanded the Department
of Technical Investigations (DIT), the plain-clothes arm of the
National Police widely acknowledged to have engaged in extortion,
robbery, and political kidnappings and assassinations. The Supreme
court also embarked on a series of reforms designed to end
corruption and improve the efficiency of the legal system. New
laws of habeas corpus and "amparo," or court ordered protection, are
designed to give citizens legal recourse when they feel their rights
are threatened by the government. The Congress, in accordance with
the constitution, has established a legislative human rights
committee, and in 1987 approved the establishment of a Human
Rights Ombudsman.
The number of politically motivated deaths and kidnappings is
substantially lower than in the early 1980s, but important human
rights problems remain, involving the use of force and abuses by
political extremists and some individual and former members of the
security forces. These problems are aggravated by a legacy of
violence, vigilante justice, and common crime, with which the
judiciary and democratic institutions have thus far developed only
limited capacity to cope.
In the waning days of the Cerezo administration, the US
Government took several actions to signal official displeasure over
the lack of progress in investigation of several notorious human
rights abuse cases. In December of 1990, the US suspended military
assistance to Guatemala until the army personnel involved in the
June 1990 murder of American citizen Michael Devine were brought
to justice.
The Serrano Government is on record as being unwilling to
tolerate human rights abuses. The nomination of a former human
rights deputy ombudsman as Minister of Interior, with
responsibility for the police, and a cabinet-level commission to
ensure the prosecution of human rights cases are hopeful signs that
the Serrano Administration is fully committed to establishing
civilian authority over security forces and instituting broad respect
for human rights and the rule of law.
DEFENSE
The mission of the Guatemalan armed forces is defense against
external threats, internal security, and national development. The
president as commander in chief acts through his minister of
defense. Day-to-day operations are run by the chief of staff and the
national defense staff. The Guatemalan army has a total strength of
some 43,000, with subordinate air force (700) and navy (1,300)
elements. The army is operationally organized into 19 military
zones and 3 strategic brigades. The air force operates three air
bases, the navy has two.
When the army divested itself of its governing role through
democratic elections, it rededicated itself to the
professionalization of its forces and combat against the insurgents.
The armed forces are equipped with armaments and materiel from
the United States, Israel, Yugoslavia, Taiwan, Argentina, Spain, and
France. Guatemala is a signatory to the Rio Pact and is a member of
the Central American Defense Council (CONDECA).
Since the early 1960s, the military has been engaged in
counter insurgency operations against Marxist-Leninist guerrillas.
The army has witnessed considerable progress since 1982 and has
reduced the insurgency to a point that it does not currently threaten
national stability. In March 1990, the National Reconciliation
Commission (NRC), formed under the Esquipulas II process, and the
guerrilla umbrella organization (URNG) met in Oslo, Norway, to
negotiate a framework for achieving a negotiated political
settlement to the 30-year internal conflict. The agreement called
for a series of meetings, chaired by the NRC, between URNG
representatives, political parties, business leaders, Christian and
popular groups, and the government. This process was designed to
build a consensus for dialogue within Guatemalan society and hope
for achieving a negotiated solution to one of the world's oldest
continuous insurgencies. Such a solution would greatly contribute to
an improvement in Guatemala's human rights and economic
situation.
ECONOMY
Guatemala's return to civilian democratic rule in 1986 spurred a
reversal of the steep economic decline that had reduced real per
capita income by nearly 20% in the first half of the 1980s. It also
marked the beginning of a trend toward economic diversification
and improved international competitiveness. These improvements
were made possible by economic policies that promoted financial
stability and growth through exports. These policies have included:
raising taxes and reducing the fiscal deficit (Guatemala's tax
burden is still among the lowest in the world); restraining growth
of domestic credit, especially to the public sector; eliminating
most price controls (only basic staples remain subject to controls);
and unifying the (previously multi-tiered) exchange rate. In
November 1989, the government completely freed the exchange rate,
after having freed interest rates in August. The changes in the
exchange rate and interest rate systems in particular are far-
reaching reforms that should make the economy more resilient.
Assuming continuing political stability, Guatemala is well-
positioned for rapid economic growth over the next few years.
Responding to Guatemala's dramatically changed political and
economic policy environment, the international community has
mobilized substantial resources to support the country's economic
and social development objectives. The United States, in particular,
and West Germany, to a lesser extent, have provided significant
amounts of balance-of-payments assistance. Together with other
donor countries (especially France, Italy, Spain, and Japan), they
have also stepped up considerably development project financing.
US official assistance to Guatemala since 1986 totals some $800
million--doubling the total of all US assistance to Guatemala in the
preceding 40 years.
Guatemala's economy is dominated by the private sector,
which generates nearly 90% of gross domestic product (GDP). The
government's participation in the productive process is limited
largely to public utilities and several development oriented
financial institutions. The government, however, continues to
exercise a significant regulatory role. Agriculture is the dominant
economic activity, contributing about a quarter of GDP and
accounting for more than 75% of exports. There is no heavy industry.
Most manufacturing is devoted to light assembly and food
processing operations and is still geared mainly toward the
domestic and Central American markets. However, a marked trend
toward diversification, both of products and exports, has emerged
since 1986. In particular, textile and apparel exports to
industrialized country markets (especially the United States) and
non-traditional agricultural exports (NTAE) are booming. (NTAEs are
essentially all agricultural products other than coffee, cotton,
sugar, and meat. Some NTAEs already being exported in significant
volume include winter vegetables, fruits, and cut flowers).
Problems hindering economic growth include illiteracy and low
levels of education among the population, an inadequate capital
market, and infrastructure constraints particularly in the
transportation and economic sectors.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Guatemala's major diplomatic interests are related to regional
security issues and, increasingly, to regional development and
economic integration issues. Guatemala has been an active
participant in the Contadora and Esquipulas processes. It recently
hosted the June 1990 Central American Economic Summit, attended
by the Presidents of El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua,
and for the first time, Panama.
It also originated the idea of, and has been the strongest
advocate for, a Central American Parliament.
Its long-standing claim to Belize caused a dispute with the
United Kingdom. On September 21, 1981, the UK granted Belize its
independence. In 1986, Guatemala and the UK re-established
commercial and consular relations, and in July 1987, they re-
established full diplomatic relations. Guatemalan President Cerezo
and Belizean Prime Minister Price met twice in 1990 to discuss
bilateral relations, and in December 1989 Guatemala sponsored
Belize for permanent observer status in the OAS. In September
1991, Guatemala recognized Belize's independence and established
diplomatic ties.
US-GUATEMALAN RELATIONS
Relations between the United States and Guatemala traditionally
have been good. United States policy in Guatemala includes:
-- Supporting the institutionalization of democracy;
-- Supporting broad-based economic growth;
-- Encouraging Guatemalan respect for human rights and the
rule of law;
-- Cooperating with the Guatemalan Government to combat
narcotics trafficking;
-- Supporting Central American integration and regional peace
efforts, including the dialogue process with the Guatemalan
insurgency;
-- Maintaining mutually beneficial trade relations; and
-- Supporting a solution of the Belize dispute acceptable to
the parties involved.
Principal US Officials
Ambassador--Thomas F. Stroock
Deputy Chief of Mission--Philip B. Taylor III
The US Embassy in Guatemala is at Avenida la Reforma 7-01, Zone
10, Guatemala City (tel. 31-15-41).
TRAVEL NOTES
Travel advisory
The Department of State recommends that travellers to Guatemala
exercise caution when travelling in certain areas of conflict or
frequent common crime. Travellers are also advised to register
with the Embassy upon arrival in Guatemala City.
Clothing: Spring or summer-weight clothing is needed most of the
year; woolens are practical November through February.
Customs: Visas are easily obtainable at the Guatemalan Embassy in
Washington, DC and at consulates in six US cities are required for
stays of more than 30 days. For shorter visits, purchase tourist
cards at ticket counters of airlines serving Guatemala.
Health: Good medical services are available in Guatemala City.
There has been an outbreak of cholera in Guatemala, mainly located
in the western departments that border with Mexico. Because of
altitude, however, the capital is free of most tropical diseases.
There is a risk, however, of malaria in rural areas, except in the
central highlands. Tap water is not potable, and fruits and
vegetables should be prepared carefully. Although not required for
entry, immunizations against hepatitis, typhoid, polio, and tetanus
are recommended for extended stays. Travelers should consult a
physician for most recent information.
Published by the United States Department of State -- Bureau of
Public Affairs -- Office of Public Communication -- Washington, DC
-- April 1992 -- Editor: Peter A. Knecht.
Department of State Publication 7798. Background Notes Series --
This material is in the public domain and may be reprinted without
permission; citation of this source is appreciated.
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, US Government
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.(###)