The Guardian 15 March, 2006
CPA Appeal for Guatemala:
Forgotten struggles in Latin America
Vinnie Molina
Guatemala is one of those forgotten struggles in Latin America. For more than 36 years, the Guatemalan people forged a revolutionary war against the government, the army and the national bourgeoisie and its main supporter, the government of the Unites States of America.
Since the CIA-backed invasion in June 1954 and the overthrow of the democratically elected government of Colonel Jacobo Arbenz, Guatemala suffered under the dictatorship of military regimes sponsored by Washington.
Guatemala lived ten years of democratic revolution in 1944-54, where two democratic governments initially led by Juan Jose Arevalo, and then by Jacobo Arbenz, both introduced revolutionary reforms that aimed the modernisation of the national state.
These reforms gave the Guatemalan people access to social security, political participation, a labour code, and land reform.
It was the latter that affected the interests of the United Fruit Company. This US multinational used to own more than 40 percent of the best land in East Guatemala. It also had other investments which meant total control of the economy through their monopolisation of electricity, transport and ports.
Land reform and building of a new hydroelectric power plant, a second port, and a new highway broke the US monopoly in the various sectors.
The reaction of the US Government was to immediately initiate a smear campaign against the Guatemalan Government in the American States Organisation (OEA). The campaign was directed to Jacobo Arbenz and some of his Ministers who were accused of being communists.
It is important to mention that during Arbenz’s term in government, the Communist Party of Guatemala was legally registered as a political party under the name of Guatemalan Labour Party, (Partido Guatemalteco del Trabajo, PGT). This party was formed on September 28, 1949, and by 1952 had some strong influence over the two major union federations as well as on some policies implemented by the democratic government.
The anti-communist campaign orchestrated against the revolutionary government and other mass organisations opened the doors to one of Guatemala’s worst periods of political repression and assassinations.
Military war on the people
A war was launched by the military against the working class and other mass organisations. During the 36 years of civil war more than 200,000 people were assassinated and thousands kidnapped and disappeared. More than one million people were internally displaced and more than half a million people fled the country to live in difficult conditions in Mexico, the United States and other countries.
What was the reason for the world to ignore 36 years of struggle?
Guatemala is a small country in Central America of 108,889 sq km, and a population of more than 12 million, it has the largest percentage of indigenous people in Latin America; nearly 60 percent of the population identified themselves with the Mayan people.
For this reason most people around the world didn’t know much about the struggle for national liberation and independence.
It wasn’t until 1992 when indigenous woman Rigoberta Menchu won the Nobel Peace prize that the Guatemalan struggle became known around the world.
During that period, the intensification of the popular revolutionary struggle led by URNG forced both the Government and the Army to the negotiating table which ended with the signing of the Peace accords in December 1996. (URNG — Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity — an originally an umbrella organisation formed in February 1982 which is now a political party.)
Currently under a civilian government led by Oscar Berger, conditions continue to deteriorate in the economic, political and social spheres.
The country is being sold off to foreign investors with the government’s implementation of neo-liberal (economic rationalist) policies and the signing of a Free Trade Agreement with the United States.
In a recent visit last December, I witnessed how the priorities of the government are not directed towards assisting the people. This was seen with the latest natural disaster, Hurricane Stan, that caused the death of some 2,000 people and left thousands homeless.
The number one priority of the government is to reconstruct bridges and roads where the multinationals and local agro-businesses have their crops destined for exports. Most of the international aid has been privatised and directed to rebuild the multi-million dollar profitable infrastructure.
This has left thousands suffering without shelter, food or medical attention. It has forced democratic and popular organisations like the URNG to organise aid to help the poor and forgotten people of those devastated areas.
The Communist Party of Australia has launched a Guatemalan Appeal in Australia to support the call initiated by URNG.
We call on all CPA members and supporters to donate generously in this solidarity effort.
Activities will be organised in several capital cities; kicking off in Adelaide on Thursday March 16 and in Perth on Sunday March26. (See below.)
All donations should be sent to the CPA national office or to any CPA branch stating your donation is in support of the CPA Appeal for Guatemala. Donations will be acknowledged in The Guardian.
For more information contact the CPA National Office 02 9699 8844
or Vinnie Molina on 0419 812872 or Ovidio Orellana on 07 3379 2207.