{ "id": "R42580", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R42580", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 594670, "date": "2019-03-20", "retrieved": "2019-12-20T19:44:58.804554", "title": "Guatemala: Political and Socioeconomic Conditions and U.S. Relations", "summary": "Guatemala, the most populous Central American country, with a population of 16.3 million, has been consolidating its transition to democracy since the 1980s. Guatemala has a long history of internal conflict, including a 36-year civil war (1960-1996) during which the Guatemalan military held power and over 200,000 people were killed or disappeared. A democratic constitution was adopted in 1985, and a democratically elected government was inaugurated in 1986. \nPresident Jimmy Morales is being investigated for corruption and has survived three efforts to remove his immunity from prosecution. Morales took office in January 2016, having campaigned on an anticorruption platform. The previous president and vice president had resigned and been arrested after being implicated in a large-scale corruption scandal. \nIn what many observers see as a step forward in Guatemala\u2019s democratic development, the Public Ministry\u2019s corruption and human rights abuse investigations in recent years have led to the arrest and trial of high-level government, judicial, and military officials. The Public Ministry is responsible for public prosecution and law enforcement, and works in conjunction with the United Nations-backed International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) to strengthen rule of law in Guatemala. As their anticorruption efforts prove effective, the circle of those feeling threatened by investigations broadens, and attacks against CICIG and the judicial system it supports broaden and intensify as well. \nSince Morales and some of his inner circle became the targets of investigations, he has ended CICIG\u2019s mandate, tried to terminate it early, and fired some of his more reformist officials. The Guatemalan Congress is moving legislation forward that would give amnesty to perpetrators of crimes against humanity, free some high-profile prisoners held for corruption, and limit the work of nongovernment organizations. Observers within Guatemala and abroad worry that Morales and the Congress are trying to protect themselves and others from corruption and other charges, and threatening the rule of law in doing so.\nGuatemala continues to face many other challenges, including insecurity, high rates of violence, and increasing rates of poverty and malnourishment. Guatemala remains a major transit country for cocaine and heroin trafficked from South America to the United States. Although Guatemala recorded record drug seizures in 2017, the lack of law enforcement and the collusion between corrupt officials and organized crime in many areas enable trafficking of illicit drugs, precursor chemicals, weapons, people, and other contraband. During Morales\u2019s first year, his administration improved tax collection, and the interior ministry reported a 5% drop in homicide rates. Morales has since fired many of the officials responsible for those advances and other reforms. \nGuatemala has the largest economy in Central America and in recent decades has had relatively stable economic growth. Despite that economic growth, Guatemala\u2019s economic inequality and poverty have increased, especially among the rural indigenous population. The Economist Intelligence Unit projects that the country\u2019s economic growth rate will likely peak in 2018-2019 at 3.2%, followed by a decrease until 2022. The World Bank calls for rapid economic growth coupled with increased public investment and pro-poor policies to improve social conditions. \nTraditionally, the United States and Guatemala have had close relations, with friction at times over human rights and civil/military issues. Guatemala and the United States have significant trade and are part of the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). Top priorities for U.S. bilateral assistance to Guatemala include improving security, governance, and justice for citizens; improving economic growth and food security; providing access to health services; promoting better educational outcomes; and providing opportunities for out-of-school youth to reduce their desire to migrate. The U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America is meant to spur development and reduce illegal emigration to the United States. The Trump Administration has proposed substantially cutting funds for Guatemala, and eliminating traditional food aid and the Inter-American Foundation in its FY2018-FY2020 budget requests. Congress rejected much of those cuts in the reports to and language in the Consolidated Appropriations Acts of 2018 (P.L. 115-141), and 2019 (P.L. 116-6). Tensions between Guatemala and much of the international community have arisen over Guatemalan efforts to oust CICIG and to grant amnesty for human rights violations. The Trump Administration suspended military aid to Guatemala in March 2019 over its misuse of armored vehicles provided by the Department of Defense to combat drug trafficking.\nBills introduced in the 116th Congress regarding Guatemala address immigration, order security, corruption and other governance issues, and include H.Res. 18, H.R. 1630, and S. 716.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/R42580", "sha1": "a81042271c930b2d91e11644d8d02d3ef53cc53b", "filename": "files/20190320_R42580_a81042271c930b2d91e11644d8d02d3ef53cc53b.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R42580_files&id=/0.png": "files/20190320_R42580_images_3fb2721c704a2174388d0ffc40dc481c415d80ee.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R42580", "sha1": "9fed41932c911f94c3a075ce7c254f74021d1a08", "filename": "files/20190320_R42580_9fed41932c911f94c3a075ce7c254f74021d1a08.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4847, "name": "Latin America, Caribbean, & Canada" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 579634, "date": "2018-03-27", "retrieved": "2018-04-03T13:30:15.370008", "title": "Guatemala: Political and Socioeconomic Conditions and U.S. Relations", "summary": "Guatemala, the most populous Central American country, with a population of 16.3 million, has been consolidating its transition to democracy since the 1980s. Guatemala has a long history of internal conflict, including a 36-year civil war (1960-1996) during which the Guatemalan military held power and over 200,000 people were killed or disappeared. A democratic constitution was adopted in 1985, and a democratically elected government was inaugurated in 1986. \nPresident Jimmy Morales, a political newcomer, took office in January 2016, having campaigned on an anti-corruption platform. The previous president and vice president had resigned and been arrested after being implicated in a large-scale corruption scandal. Morales is being investigated for corruption and has survived two efforts to remove his immunity from prosecution. \nIn what many observers see as a step forward in Guatemala\u2019s democratic development, the Public Ministry\u2019s recent corruption and human rights abuse investigations have led to the arrest and trial of high-level government, judicial, and military officials. The Public Ministry is responsible for public prosecution and law enforcement, and works in conjunction with the United Nations-backed International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) to strengthen rule of law in Guatemala. As their anti-corruption efforts prove effective, the circle of those feeling threatened by investigations broadens, and attacks against CICIG and the judicial system it supports broaden and intensify as well. Since Morales and some of his inner circle became the targets of investigations, he has tried to weaken CICIG and fired some of his more reformist officials. Observers within Guatemala and abroad worry that Morales is trying to protect himself and others from corruption charges\nGuatemala continues to face many other challenges, including insecurity, high rates of violence, and increasing rates of poverty and malnourishment. Guatemala remains a major transit country for cocaine and heroin trafficked from South America to the United States. Although Guatemala recorded record drug seizures in 2016, the lack of law enforcement and the collusion between corrupt officials and organized crime in many areas enable trafficking of illicit drugs, precursor chemicals, weapons, people, and other contraband. During Morales\u2019s first year, his administration improved tax collection, and the interior ministry reported a 5% drop in homicide rates.\nGuatemala has the largest economy in Central America and in recent decades has had relatively stable economic growth. Despite that economic growth, Guatemala\u2019s economic inequality and poverty have increased, especially among the rural indigenous population. The Economist Intelligence Unit projects that the country\u2019s economic growth rate will likely peak in 2018-2019 at 3.2%, followed by a decrease until 2022. The World Bank calls for rapid economic growth coupled with increased public investment and pro-poor policies to improve social conditions. \nTraditionally, the United States and Guatemala have had close relations, with friction at times over human rights and civil/military issues. Guatemala and the United States have significant trade and are part of the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). Top priorities for U.S. bilateral assistance to Guatemala include improving security, governance, and justice for citizens; improving economic growth and food security; providing access to health services; promoting better educational outcomes; providing opportunities for out-of-school youth to reduce their desire to migrate. The U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America is meant to spur development and reduce illegal emigration to the United States. The Trump Administration\u2019s proposed FY2018 budget request would have cut funds for Guatemala by 36% and eliminated traditional food aid and the Inter-American Foundation. Congress rejected much of those cuts in the reports to and language in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141).", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R42580", "sha1": "6ceb02e47ed2c761d1d2d644cc81f554211096d8", "filename": "files/20180327_R42580_6ceb02e47ed2c761d1d2d644cc81f554211096d8.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R42580_files&id=/0.png": "files/20180327_R42580_images_3fb2721c704a2174388d0ffc40dc481c415d80ee.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R42580", "sha1": "cbb53a668240c6ae5479ccf29ab966f57202fb0c", "filename": "files/20180327_R42580_cbb53a668240c6ae5479ccf29ab966f57202fb0c.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4847, "name": "Latin America, Caribbean, & Canada" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 574638, "date": "2017-10-17", "retrieved": "2017-10-24T13:17:34.357573", "title": "Guatemala: Political and Socioeconomic Conditions and U.S. Relations", "summary": "Guatemala, the most populous Central American country, with a population of 16.3 million, has been consolidating its transition to democracy since the 1980s. Guatemala has a long history of internal conflict, including a 36-year civil war (1960-1996) during which the Guatemalan military held power and over 200,000 people were killed or disappeared. A democratic constitution was adopted in 1985, and a democratically elected government was inaugurated in 1986. \nIn 2015, Jimmy Morales, a political newcomer, won the presidential election with 67% of the vote on an anticorruption platform; he took office in January 2016. The previous president and vice president had resigned and been arrested after being implicated in a large-scale corruption scandal. In what many observers see as a step forward in Guatemala\u2019s democratic development, the Public Ministry\u2019s recent corruption and human rights abuse investigations have led to the arrest and trial of high-level government, judicial, and military officials. They have also led to a backlash against those reform efforts, and a political crisis involving current President Morales. The Public Ministry is responsible for public prosecution and law enforcement, and works in conjunction with the United Nations-backed International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) to strengthen rule of law in Guatemala. As their anticorruption efforts prove effective, the circle of those feeling threatened by investigations broadens, and attacks against CICIG and the judicial system it supports broaden and intensify as well.\nGuatemala continues to face many other challenges, including insecurity, high rates of violence, and increasing rates of poverty and malnourishment. Guatemala remains a major transit country for cocaine and heroin trafficked from South America to the United States. Although Guatemala recorded record drug seizures in 2016, the lack of law enforcement and/or collusion between corrupt officials and organized crime in many areas enable trafficking of illicit drugs, precursor chemicals, weapons, people, and other contraband. During Morales\u2019s first year, his administration improved tax collection, and the interior ministry reported a 5% drop in homicide rates.\nGuatemala has the largest economy in Central America and in recent decades has had relatively stable economic growth. Despite that economic growth, however, Guatemala\u2019s economic inequality and poverty have increased, especially among the rural indigenous population. The Economist Intelligence Unit projects that the country\u2019s economic growth rate will likely peak in 2017 at 3.5%, followed by a slowdown. The World Bank calls for rapid economic growth coupled with increased public investment and pro-poor policies to improve social conditions. \nTraditionally, the United States and Guatemala have had close relations, with friction at times over human rights and civil/military issues. Guatemala and the United States have significant trade and are part of the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). Top priorities for U.S. bilateral assistance to Guatemala include improving security, governance, and justice for citizens; improving economic growth and food security; providing access to health services; promoting better educational outcomes; providing opportunities for out-of-school youth to reduce their desire to migrate; and improving natural resource management to mitigate the impact of climate change. The U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America is meant to spur development and reduce illegal emigration to the United States. The Trump Administration\u2019s proposed FY2018 budget request would cut funds for Guatemala by 36%.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R42580", "sha1": "7514b8dddc6c13a26e59396a4dbd5dfd6e05bce0", "filename": "files/20171017_R42580_7514b8dddc6c13a26e59396a4dbd5dfd6e05bce0.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R42580_files&id=/0.png": "files/20171017_R42580_images_3fb2721c704a2174388d0ffc40dc481c415d80ee.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R42580", "sha1": "5186028aab1d080255e5d2a6f9f714e2f7c5ee83", "filename": "files/20171017_R42580_5186028aab1d080255e5d2a6f9f714e2f7c5ee83.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4847, "name": "Latin America, Caribbean, & Canada" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 433444, "date": "2014-08-07", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T20:12:04.941240", "title": "Guatemala: Political, Security, and Socio-Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations", "summary": "Since the 1980s, Guatemala, the most populous country in Central America with a population of 15.5 million, has continued its transition from centuries of mostly autocratic rule toward representative government. A democratic constitution was adopted in 1985, and a democratically elected government was inaugurated in 1986. A violent 36-year civil war ended in 1996. \nThis report provides an overview of Guatemala\u2019s current political and economic conditions, relations with the United States, and several issues likely to figure in future decisions by Congress and the Administration regarding Guatemala. With respect to continued cooperation and foreign assistance, these issues include security and governance; protection of human rights and human rights conditions on some U.S. military aid to Guatemala; support for the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala; combating narcotics trafficking and organized crime; trade relations; intercountry adoption; and unaccompanied children at the U.S. border.\nPresident Otto P\u00e9rez Molina began his four-year term in January 2012. A former military commander who served during the civil war period, P\u00e9rez Molina faces concerns from some regarding his role in the human rights abuses committed during that period. In a landmark case, a Guatemalan court found former dictator Efrain Rios Montt guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity on May 10, 2013, but another court overturned his conviction days later. The trial is scheduled to resume in January 2015. Certain developments in 2014 have caused concern among some observers that there is a backlash against some of the judicial reforms that were achieved in recent years and that impunity for human rights violations and other crimes may rise again.\nGuatemala continues to be plagued by security issues related to narcotics trafficking, the rise of organized crime, social inequality, and poverty. Upon taking office P\u00e9rez Molina announced a controversial position to decriminalize drugs as one policy initiative to address Guatemala\u2019s many problems. In his view, decriminalization has to be gradual, strongly regulated, and has to take place in the whole region, including producer and consumer countries. In the meantime, P\u00e9rez Molina vows to continue prosecuting and jailing drug-traffickers.\nEconomic growth was about 3.7% in 2013. Agriculture contributes about a fifth of Guatemala\u2019s GDP. According to the World Bank, Guatemala has one of the most unequal income distributions and highest levels of poverty in the hemisphere. Guatemala is part of the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). \nRelations between Guatemala and the United States have traditionally been close, but they have been strained at times by human rights and civil-military issues, long of interest to the U.S. Congress. U.S. policy objectives in Guatemala include strengthening democratic institutions; encouraging respect for human rights and the rule of law; supporting broad-based economic growth, sustainable development, and mutually beneficial trade relations; combating drug trafficking; supporting continued Central American integration, and addressing child migration.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R42580", "sha1": "8e957527cfa4f259525feae8cecc4738412bc293", "filename": "files/20140807_R42580_8e957527cfa4f259525feae8cecc4738412bc293.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R42580", "sha1": "1e12abccf779fdcf709da29b9d3602964fe3e2dc", "filename": "files/20140807_R42580_1e12abccf779fdcf709da29b9d3602964fe3e2dc.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 281, "name": "Latin America and the Caribbean" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc820880/", "id": "R42580_2013May16", "date": "2013-05-16", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Guatemala: Political, Security, and SocioEconomic Conditions and U.S. Relations", "summary": "This report provides an overview of Guatemala\u2019s current political and economic conditions, relations with the United States, and several issues likely to figure in future decisions by Congress and the Administration regarding Guatemala.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20130516_R42580_a749ad744ee79f2de6cfb6c39c3119f17309d466.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20130516_R42580_a749ad744ee79f2de6cfb6c39c3119f17309d466.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Guatemala", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Guatemala" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government -- Guatemala", "name": "Politics and government -- Guatemala" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc96726/", "id": "R42580_2012Jun26", "date": "2012-06-26", "retrieved": "2012-08-07T13:52:45", "title": "Guatemala: Political, Security, and Socio- Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations", "summary": "This report provides an overview of Guatemala's current political and economic conditions, relations with the United States, and several issues likely to figure in future decisions by Congress and the Administration regarding Guatemala. With respect to continued cooperation and foreign assistance, these issues include security and governance; protection of human rights and human rights conditions on some U.S. military aid to Guatemala; support for the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala; combating narcotics trafficking and organized crime; trade relations; and intercountry adoption.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120626_R42580_fef348e5e62d87de2cca77efa31be697b297d2ad.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120626_R42580_fef348e5e62d87de2cca77efa31be697b297d2ad.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Guatemala -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Guatemala -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Guatemala", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Guatemala" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Human rights", "name": "Human rights" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Civil-military relations", "name": "Civil-military relations" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Appropriations", "Foreign Affairs", "Latin American Affairs" ] }