Discussions of Peace (1994-1996)
Between 1994 and 1995, the United Nations with the cooperation of León, began negotiating peace agreements.  As the longest, most gruesome battle in Central America was coming to an end, the first of the peace agreements was signed in March 1994, identifying the human rights for the Guatemalan people.  Though this was outlined in the 1985 Constitution, the Human Rights Accord provided the placement of U.N. officials in the country to supervise and protect the respect for human rights. 

Other provisions of the Peace Accords addressed issues of military size and power, rights of the indigenous people, and justice for the victims.  Under these provisions, the military budget was cut by one-third and counter-insurgency military units were replaced by civilian police forces.  The rights of indigenous people called for a reform in educational, political and judicial systems and demanded entitlement for the indigenous majority to make claims upon the country, thus recognizing Guatemala as a “multiethnic, multicultural and multilingual nation” (20).

The Peace Accords also drew up guidelines for a “Truth Commission,” in which the U.N. provided an investigation into the injustices committed during the war by both guerrilla and military forces (20).  The 3,500-page report was titled, “Guatemala: Memory of Silence.” 

The document gives detailed accounts of statistics and witnesses’ accounts of events during the civil war and distinctly places a vast majority of the blame on the Guatemalan government, military, and their aides – including the U.S.  The Truth Commission also outlined recommendations for military, government and judicial reform as well as plans for preserving memory of victims, compensating victims and observing human rights (27).    

1996 - Present
Álvaro Enrique Arzú Irigoyen was elected president in 1996 and concluded the 36-year civil war with the signing of the Peace Accords in December (2).  The signing of the Peace Accords did not bring an end to the human rights abuses within the country, the most notable being the brutal murder of Bishop Juan José Gerardi three days after his presentation of the REMHI human rights report sponsored by the Catholic Church (2). 

Arzú also dealt with the devastation of Hurricane Mitch that swept the country in October 1998.  More than 100,000 people were forced to evacuate and 730,000 others were displaced.  The government saw expenditures close to $748 million USD in order to rebuild the country and compensate for the loss of domestic products of consumption and export.  More than 268 people died in the landslides and destruction of the hurricane (23).

Arzú was succeed by Alfonso Antonio Portillo Cabrera of the Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) party in 2000.  Portillo made attempts at boosting the Guatemalan economy through investment, taxation, and the establishment of an independent central bank.  He also continued efforts in the implementation of peace programs, including appointing a civilian defense minister and maintaining a pluralist cabinet with indigenous members (2).   

Despite Portillo’s efforts at progress and improvement, Guatemala was still plagued with a high crime rate, corruption and violence toward human rights workers, journalists, activists and those participating in the human rights trials (2).

On July 24 and 25, 2003, the US embassy and the UN mission closed as Ríos Montt supporters, armed with machetes, clubs and guns crowded the streets for demonstrations on “Jueves Negro” (Black Thursday).  The FRG party had chosen Montt as their 2003 presidential candidate and sought the removal of the ban against former coup leaders as political candidates. 

When the Supreme Court, called for the closing of Montt’s campaign, he called for his supporters to go to the streets in protest. President Portillo overturned the Supreme Court ruling, and the anger of the people was reflected in the polls that November (24).  

In November of 2003, Montt ran for president coming in third behind Óscar Berger Perdomo and Álvaro Colom Caballeros.  Berger ruled Guatemala from 2004 until 2008.  During Berger’s presidency, Guatemala was devastatingly hit by Hurricane Stan in October 2005.  The death tolls reached above 1,500, and were potentially as high at 2,000. 

Due to overwhelming mudslides, the worst of which being in the community of Panabaj in the department of Solola, the communities were pronounced graveyards and true death totals were never known.  All those considered missing were deemed dead as well (22).  Despite a necessity for national recovery from the hurricane, Berger was able to implement modest reforms, boosting the economy through light manufacturing, agro-industry and tourism (24).

Colom defeated former military general Otto Pérez Molina in the November 2007 election, garnering 52 percent of the vote in a run-off.  Colom faces the challenges of poverty, drug trafficking, gangs, high crime rates and poor education.  His social agenda includes creating jobs and re-enforcing security against violence along with building more schools and health care facilities (25).

Works Cited