Guatemalan civil war - Essay Example

Guatemalan civil war The Latin America has experienced several social, economic and political problems since early 1900sand Guatemala is in focus in this case. This Latin American state underwent severe political oppression that culminated to civil war spanning over 36years. It is common knowledge that civil war results from rebellious citizen due to unsatisfactory governance and deprivation of basic needs. In regard to the case of Guatemala, a series of military coups occurred and each time the civil society was treated as second fiddler in matters of nation decision. It is important to undertake a critical investigation into the cause-effect of this civil war and the input of cultural structure of Latin America in this war (Natella 176). Many scholars have explored the cultural factors within the context of Latin America region and how this contributed to the long standing economic oppression and political instability that was the order of the day in Guatemala from early 1960s. Political structure is always derived from the traditions of any community in their ancient socio-political organization and the way of governance and culture of loyalty defines success of any leadership. It would equally be important to consider the foreign influence into the civil war and what they sought to gain. It is also worth to take a look at the community that suffered the full brunt of this civil war and the consequences this had on its relationship with the governing authority to date. Maya community and Indians were particularly tortured, displaced and killed. Further inquiry would also be important in regard to the civil war’s contribution towards present day modernization and democratization and its cost in Guatemala. Critical analysis of the civil war in Guatemala indicates that there were real social problems that compelled some people to revolt against the government. Research findings establish that there was massive oppression, widespread racism and mass violence which left many people displaced, maimed and killed. The question that many people would ask is the relationship that existed between the government of the day and its citizens in regard to the violent clashes between Neoliberal and Leftist (Coerver, et al.259). To answer this question, it would be important to find the other factors that contributed to this historic civil war almost likened to genocide. United States had a hand in the clashes through their push for capitalism in Latin America. It is therefore evident that there involvement fuelled the problem and explains its length of existence I terms of years. They supplied the government military wing with resources that were used against the leftists. This was a tactical approach towards forcing the citizens to adhere to the government oppressive economic ideologies and promote their interest in the country. This explains the US installation of Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas by Central intelligence agency against the democratically-elected president, Jacobo Arbenz. The later was considered communist threat and acted in the interest of the citizens. At the height of confrontation between the leftist and the government forces, the citizens suffered more in many ways and this soured their relationship with the government between 1960’s and the 1990s (Davies and Fredric 211). Government sought to favor foreigners by taking local people’s land and allocating to the foreigners, dividing to political cronies and completely ignored the plight of common citizens through autocratic leadership. The leftist represented the people as they fought to regain lost property to the dictatorial governments. The neoliberal forces were for the idea of capitalism that promoted extremes in form of wealth and poverty and therefore got much hatred from the citizens. Despite several negotiations and international community’s intervention in Guatemala crisis, citizens still had no confidence in the government and its socio-economic and political pursuits. It is important to note that the civil war took along path due to the spirited fight staged against the government by civilians. The influence of US and its agenda for capitalism was greeted with sheer opposition from the civilian. However, due to its strategy to manipulate the leaders by funding series of coups, they succeeded in putting the lives of the rebellious civilians into the hands of brutal military rule. The Maya community has the greatest cultural face that gives the true image of the war and its consequences. Many people were forced against their traditional wishes and women were exposed to severe suffering for the 36 years this war raged. The evident discrimination on the Indians saw them suffer child labor, abduction, torture, rape and all sorts of inhuman treatment in the hands of government military. Post- war justice and reconciliation findings give a shocking statistics of over 83% of the Maya community as the victim of this near genocide event (Schirmer 130). This can be attributed to the strong cultural orientation towards socialism. Most of the Latin American communities believed in communal socio-economic policy and this bred communism. With the economic and political policies of the US that championed for capitalism, the Mayan culture was at loggerheads with the authorities and the emerging defiance resulted into the recorded atrocities. Better part of Latin America believed in real nationalism where community property was guarded by all and sundry and this aspect was a replication of Cuba which succeeded against the US pressure to pursue capitalism. The social structure of Guatemala is a mixture of natives and thriving European culture mostly composed of the Spanish and Portuguese culture. This can be attributed to their colonial relationship. It is important to note that Guatemala has believed in nationalism from the time immemorial and this defines the trend observed in its current economic and political policies. The modernity and democratic government was attained at accost. Past regimes especially the military ones that propagated atrocities believed in dictatorship and impunity, a phenomenon that still lingers in the mind of many political leaders and civilians to date (Manz 65). The current democratically elected leadership is a product of a series of negotiations and international community initiated political reforms. The society is slowly regaining its social order 15 years after the civil war and the past injustices are progressively being addressed. Like many other cases of civil wars across the world, cultural factors have always played a central role in the ensuing battle. Oppressive socio-economic and political moves are seen to contradict the norms of the society hence the revolt. In the case of Guatemala there was a blend of perceived cultural discrimination by the colonialists and other immigrants to their disadvantage. This was worsened by the mass economic injustice perpetrated by the military rulers that trampled over the citizen’s rights. Maya community was in particular subjected to harsh treatment that left the civilian with one option of staging guerilla counterattack against the government (Manz 65). It is important to note that some past political ill deeds on the civilians set bad precedence for the future political mentalities. Despite attempts by the government to initiate reconciliation and address some of the past socio-political and economic injustices met on the civilians, it takes time to heal. It is worth to note that the civil war hangover and memories of impunity has been carried on by the citizens and democratic elections is still vulnerable to violence incidences. Trial of the perpetrators of human rights is ongoing but what is clear is that there was external influence on the war. Further research is still going on concerning the unique political misdeeds committed against specific communities in Guatemala. It is therefore important to conclude that the evident mass elimination of the Maya community which remains the face of Guatemala attracts more interest into their cultural beliefs and the relevance of it to the bloody civil war they suffered in the hands of military government. Works cited Coerver, Don M, Robert M. Buffington, and Suzanne B. Pasztor. Mexico: An Encyclopedia of Contemporary Culture and History. Santa Barbara, Calif. [u.a.: ABC-Clio, 2003. Print. Davies, Philip, and Fredric A. Waldstein. Political Issues in America Today: The 1990s Revisited. New York: Manchester University Press, 1996. Print. Manz, Beatriz. Paradise in Ashes: A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror and Hope. Los Angeles: University of California press, 2004. Print. Natella, Arthur A. Latin American Popular Culture. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2008. Internet resource. Schirmer, Jennifer G. The Guatemalan Military Project: A Violence Called Democracy. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998. Internet resource. Read More