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Elections, but no democracy, no change
The electoral system has been used for generations by the traditional elites to rubber stamp an appearance of democracy making their economic and military relations legitimizable with the U.S.-led West, while keeping in place the status quo they benefit from.
When Bernado Arevalo assumed the presidency in January 2024, after a sustained public protest movement in 2023, his government took control of the executive branch. In reality, they control a tiny percentage of authority, control and power. The other sectors of the traditional elites retain a majority of power, control and authority. Any movement for real change (desperately needed judicial cleansing and reform, economic and land reforms, etc.) are easily blocked.
Today, the U.S.-led West maintains their ‘same old, same old’ military, economic and political relations with the traditional elites. Life is ‘business-as-usual’ as the traditional elites work to contain a somewhat progressive executive branch, while aiming 4 years down the road to take control again of the executive branch.
Thus, the challenge of bringing about serious reform and change in Guatemala is fundamentally a local-to-global challenge – not a national challenge. As Guatemalans work today for real change in the context set out here, it remains imperative that we in the U.S., Canada and the global north continue to work for real change in the policies and actions of our governments, militaries, companies, banks and investors that so often contribute to and benefit from the very ills that the characterize the lives of a majority of Guatemala’s population.
Help us continue supporting grassroots efforts in Guatemala & Honduras.
All the best,
Your friends at Rights Action
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