http://www.RealAdventures.com/vacations/185481_official-info-guatemala.htm Check out some of the recently updated travel & vacation listings on RealAdventures. Be inspired, go explore! en-us Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:38:30 GMT Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:38:30 GMT http://www.RealAdventures.com http://www.RealAdventures.com/vacations/185481_official-info-guatemala.htm 100 100 http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1021480_Guatemala-travel-resources http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1021480_Guatemala-travel-resources Official Info Guatemala Fri, 19 Mar 2004 00:03:00 Hard to find maps, bus guides, videos and telephone directories. -
Hard to find maps, bus guides, videos and telephone directories.


Small group and individual itineraries and bookings throughout Guatemala. Great fares on international flights as well as flights within Guatemala.
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]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1024347_Travel-Warning-Guatemala http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1024347_Travel-Warning-Guatemala Official Info Guatemala Mon, 23 Oct 2000 00:10:00 US State Department Travel Warning for Guatemala -
US State Department Travel Warning for Guatemala


October 10, 2000
U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Guatemala should be aware that on October 10, 2000, demonstrators belonging to a Guatemalan farmer's organization set up roadblocks along major highways throughout the country to protest economic conditions in Guatemala. Similar demonstrations are expected to continue through October 15.

While most demonstrations in Guatemala are peaceful, some have turned violent in the past. U.S. citizens in Guatemala are advised to avoid demonstrations, and should consider deferring nonessential road travel until the demonstrations have ended. U.S. citizens should monitor local news and contact the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City for updated information.

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]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1024348_Travel-Consideration-Guatemala http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1024348_Travel-Consideration-Guatemala Official Info Guatemala Mon, 23 Oct 2000 00:10:00 US State Department Travel Considerations for Guatemala -
US State Department Travel Considerations for Guatemala



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]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1024199_Background-Notes-Republic-of-Guatemala http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1024199_Background-Notes-Republic-of-Guatemala Official Info Guatemala Mon, 09 Oct 2000 00:10:00 U.S. Department of State information for the Republic of Guatemala -
U.S. Department of State information for the Republic of Guatemala



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]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023977_Background-Notes-Guatemala http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023977_Background-Notes-Guatemala Official Info Guatemala Tue, 03 Oct 2000 00:10:00 U.S. Department Of State information for The Republic of Guatemala. -
U.S. Department Of State information for The Republic of Guatemala.


More than half of Guatemalans are descendants of indigenous Mayan nations. Westernized Mayans and mestizos (mixed European and indigenous ancestry) are known as Ladinos. Most of Guatemala's population is rural, though urbanization is accelerating. The predominant religion is Roman Catholicism, into which many indigenous Guatemalans have incorporated traditional forms of worship. Protestantism and traditional Mayan religions are practiced by an estimated 40% and 1% of the population, respectively. Though the official language is Spanish, it is not universally understood among the indigenous population. However, the Peace Accords signed in December 1996 provide for the translation of some official documents and voting materials into several indigenous languages (see summary of main substantive accords).

The Mayan civilization flourished throughout much of Guatemala and the surrounding region long before the Spanish arrived, but it was already in decline when the Mayans were defeated by Pedro de Alvarado in 152324. During Spanish colonial rule, most of Central America came under the control of the Captaincy General of Guatemala.

The first colonial capital, Ciudad Vieja, was ruined by floods and an earthquake in 1542. Survivors founded Antigua, the second capital, in 1543. In the 17th century, Antigua became one of the richest capitals in the New World. Always vulnerable to volcanic eruptions, floods, and earthquakes, Antigua was destroyed by two earthquakes in 1773, but the remnants of its Spanish colonial architecture have been preserved as a national monument. The third capital, Guatemala City, was founded in 1776, after Antigua was abandoned.

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. From the mid19th century until the mid1980s, the country passed through a series of dictatorships, insurgencies (particularly beginning in the 1960s), coups, and stretches of military rule with only occasional periods of representative government.

1944 to 1986

In 1944, General Jorge Ubico's dictatorship was overthrown by the "October Revolutionaries"a group of dissident military officers, students, and liberal professionals. A civilian president, Juan Jose Arevalo, was elected in 1945 and held the presidency until 1951. Social reforms initiated by Arevalo were continued by his successor, Col. Jacobo Arbenz. Arbenz permitted the communist Guatemalan Labor Party to gain legal status in 1952. By the midpoint 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 original ideals of the 1944 uprising, some private sector leaders and the military viewed Arbenz's policies as a menace. The army refused to defend the Arbenz government when a U.S.backed group led by Col. Carlos Castillo Armas invaded the country from Honduras in 1954 and quickly took over the government.

In response to the increasingly autocratic rule of Gen. Ydigoras Fuentes, who took power in 1958 following the murder of Colonel Castillo Armas, a group of junior military officers revolted in 1960. When they failed, several went into hiding and established close ties with Cuba. This group became the nucleus of the forces that were in armed insurrection against the government for the next 36 years.

Four principal leftwing guerrilla groupsthe Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP), the Revolutionary Organization of Armed People (ORPA), the Rebel Armed Forces (FAR), and the Guatemalan Labor Party (PGT)conducted economic sabotage and targeted government installations and members of government security forces in armed attacks. These organizations combined to form the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG) in1982. At the same time, extreme rightwing groups of selfappointed vigilantes, including the Secret AntiCommunist Army (ESA) and the White Hand, tortured and murdered students, professionals, and peasants suspected of involvement in leftist activities.

Shortly after President Julio Cesar Mendez 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.

In March 1982, army troops commanded by junior officers staged a coup to prevent the assumption of power by former Defense Minister Gen. Anibal Guevara, whose electoral victory was marred by fraud. The coup leaders asked Brig. Gen. Efrain Jose Rios Montt to negotiate the departure of presidential incumbent Gen. Lucas Garcia. Rios Montt had been the candidate of the Christian Democratic Party in the 1974 presidential elections and was also widely believed to have lost by fraud. Rios Montt formed a threemember junta that annulled the 1965 constitution, dissolved the Congress, suspended political parties, and canceled the election law. Shortly thereafter, Rios Montt assumed the title of President of the Republic. Responding to a wave of violence, the government imposed a state of siege, while at the same time forming an advisory Council of State to guide a return to democracy. In 1983, electoral laws were promulgated, the state of siege was lifted, political activity was once again allowed, and constituent assembly elections scheduled.

Guerrilla forces and their leftist allies then denounced the new government and stepped up attacks. Rios Montt sought to combat the threat with military actions and economic reforms, in his words, "rifles and beans." The government formed civilian defense forces, which, along with the army, successfully contained the insurgency, although there were widespread reports of human rights abuses and violence against noncombatant rural populations. However, on August 8, 1983, Rios Montt was deposed by the Guatemalan Army, and Minister of Defense, Gen. Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores, was proclaimed head of state. General Mejia claimed that certain "religious fanatics" were abusing their positions in the government and that corruption had to be weeded out. 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 took immediate effect. Mejia called general elections. The Christian Democratic Party (DCG) candidate, Vinicio Cerezo, won the presidency with almost 70% of the vote and took office in January 1986.

1986 to 2000

Upon its inauguration in January 1986, President Cerezo's civilian government announced that its top priorities would be to end the political violence and establish the rule of law. Reforms included new laws of habeas corpus and amparo (courtordered protection), the creation of a legislative human rights committee, and the establishment in 1987 of the Office of Human Rights Ombudsman. The Supreme Court also embarked on a series of reforms to fight corruption and improve legal system efficiency.

With Cerezo's election, the military moved away from governing and returned to the more traditional role of providing internal security, specifically by fighting armed insurgents. The first 2 years of Cerezo's administration were characterized by a stable economy and a marked decrease in political violence. Dissatisfied military personnel made two coup attempts in May 1988 and May 1989, but military leadership supported the constitutional order. The government was heavily criticized for its unwillingness to investigate or prosecute cases of human rights violations. The final 2 years of Cerezo's government also were 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 problemssuch as infant mortality, illiteracy, deficient health and social services, and rising levels of violencecontributed to popular discontent.

Presidential and congressional elections were held on November 11, 1990. After a runoff ballot, Jorge Serrano was inaugurated on January 14, 1991, thus completing the first transition from one democratically elected civilian government to another. Because his Movement of Solidarity Action (MAS) Party gained only 18 of 116 seats in Congress, Serrano entered into a tenuous alliance with the Christian Democrats and the National Union of the Center (UCN).

The Serrano administration's record was mixed. It had some success in consolidating civilian control over the army, replacing a number of senior officers and persuading the military to participate in peace talks with the URNG. He took the politically unpopular step of recognizing the sovereignty of Belize. The Serrano government reversed the economic slide it inherited, reducing inflation and boosting real growth from 3% in 1990 to almost 5% in 1992. On May 25, 1993, Serrano illegally dissolved Congress and the Supreme Court and tried to restrict civil freedoms, allegedly to fight corruption. The "autogolpe" (or autocoup) failed due to unified, strong protests by most elements of Guatemalan society, international pressure, and the army's enforcement of the decisions of the Court of Constitutionality, which ruled against the attempted takeover.

In the face of this pressure, Serrano fled the country. On June 5, 1993, the Congress, pursuant to the 1985 constitution, elected the Human Rights Ombudsman, Ramiro De Leon Carpio, to complete Serrano's presidential term. De Leon, not a member of any political party and lacking a political base, but with strong popular support, launched an ambitious anticorruption campaign to "purify" Congress and the Supreme Court, demanding the resignations of all members of the two bodies. Despite considerable congressional resistance, presidential and popular pressure led to a November 1993 agreement brokered by the Catholic Church between the administration and Congress. This package of constitutional reforms was approved by popular referendum on January 30, 1994. In August 1994, a new Congress was elected to complete the unexpired term. Controlled by the anticorruption partiesthe populist Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) headed by exGen. Efrain Rios Montt, and the centerright National Advancement Party (PAN)the new Congress began to move away from the corruption that characterized its predecessors.

Under De Leon, the peace process, now brokered by the United Nations, took on new life. The government and the URNG signed agreements on human rights (March 1994), resettlement of displaced persons (June 1994), historical clarification (June 1994), and indigenous rights (March 1995). They also made significant progress on a socioeconomic and agrarian agreement.

National elections for president, the Congress, and municipal offices were held in November 1995. With almost 20 parties competing in the first round, the presidential election came down to a January 7, 1996 runoff in which PAN candidate Alvaro Arzu defeated Alfonso Portillo of the FRG by just over 2% of the vote. Arzu won because of his strength in Guatemala City, where he had previously served as mayor, and in the surrounding urban area. Portillo won all of the rural departments except Peten. Under the Arzu administration, peace negotiations were concluded, and the government signed peace accords ending the 36year internal conflict in December 1996. (See section on peace process) The human rights situation also improved during Arzu's tenure, and steps were taken to reduce the influence of the military in national affairs.

Guatemala last held presidential, legislative, and municipal elections on November 7, 1999, and a runoff presidential election December 26. In the first round the Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) won 63 of 113 legislative seats, while The National Advancement Party won 37. The New Nation Alliance (ANN) won 9 legislative seats, and three minority parties won the remaining four. In the runoff on December 26, Alfonso Portillo (FRG) won 68% of the vote to 32% for Oscar Berger (PAN). Portillo carried all 22 departments and Guatemala City, where Berger had served as mayor until recently and which was considered the PAN's stronghold.

President Portillo has pledged to maintain strong ties to the United States, further enhance Guatemala's growing cooperation with Mexico, and participate actively in the integration process in Central America and the Western Hemisphere. Domestically, he has vowed to support continued liberalization of the economy, increase investment in human capital and infrastructure, establish an independent central bank, and increase revenue by stricter enforcement of tax collections rather than increasing taxation.

During his campaign, Portillo promised to continue the peace process, appoint a civilian defense minister, reform the armed forces, replace the military presidential security service with a civilian one, and strengthen protection of human rights. During the campaign, Portillo was criticized for his relationship with the party's chairman, former Gen. Efrain Rios Montt, the de facto president of Guatemala in 198283. Many charge that some of the worst human rights violations of the internal conflict were committed under Rios Montt's rule. Nonetheless, Portillo's impressive electoral triumph, with twothirds of the vote in the second round, gives him a claim to a mandate from the people to carry out his reform program.
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