Guatemala
Nearly half of Guatemala’s people identify as indigenous. The Maya (who themselves speak 21 distinct languages) are the largest single group, though the country is also home to Afro-descendant peoples, especially along the Caribbean coast. These often-marginalized communities suffer from high rates of poverty, chronic malnutrition and persistent struggles over land and natural resources. The urban poor endure high murder rates as street gangs wage bloody battles for control of extortion and other criminal rackets. USIP programming focuses on promoting a culture of lawfulness while helping civic leaders — especially young activists — overcome the country’s historic inequities and reduce polarization.
Featured Research & Analysis
Mary Speck on China’s Search for Inroads into Central America
China has ramped up its engagement in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador so that it can “operate in the United States’ backyard,” says USIP’s Mary Speck. However, China “likes to give showy gifts, but hasn’t really invested” in what the region needs to address governance issues, economic instability and organized crime.
La Seguridad de EE. UU. en las Américas Pasa por El Salvador, Guatemala y Honduras
Los tres países más septentrionales de Centroamérica —Guatemala, El Salvador y Honduras— se encuentran entre los más pequeños y pobres del hemisferio occidental. Aunque a menudo pasados por alto, su ubicación en el punto de conexión entre América del Norte y del Sur los hace peligrosos de ignorar. La inestabilidad política y económica en esta región estratégicamente ubicada puede repercutir en toda América.
U.S. Security in the Americas Flows Through El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras
The three northernmost countries of Central America — Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras — are among the smallest and poorest in the Western Hemisphere. Though often overlooked, their location at the nexus of North and South America also makes them dangerous to ignore. Political and economic turmoil in this strategically located region can reverberate throughout the Americas.