Mereja

Author: Renata Avila

  • Guatemala: Secretary of State Clinton’s Visit

    U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Guatemala on Friday, March 5 where she met President Álvaro Colom and other leaders from Central America and the Caribbean. She addressed security issues relating to the War on Drugs and support from the U.S. for normalizing Honduran relations with the international community. However, she abstained from openly discussing immigration reform which could affect more than 400,000 undocumented Guatemalans living in the U.S. While many Guatemalan bloggers were eagerly anticipating the concert from heavy metal band Metallica, there are a couple of posts about Clinton's visit:

    Secretary Clinton and President Colom in Guatemala. Photo by Gobierno de Guatemala and used under a Creative Commons license.

    Secretary Clinton and President Colom in Guatemala. Photo by Gobierno de Guatemala and used under a Creative Commons license.

    Much of the information from Clinton's recent Latin America tour, which included Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, and Guatemala could be followed on Twitter using the hashtag #hillarytravel. Regarding her stop in Guatemala, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Arturo Valenzuela (@WHAAsstSecty) tweeted Clinton's statements:

    #SecClinton: We will combat organized crime, transnational gangs and trafficking and together keep the people of Guatamala safe.

    #SecClinton: We are well aware that Central America is waging their own very intense efforts against the criminal cartels.

    Robin Martínez on the blog CGN [es] shared a funny anecdote about Clinton's visit:

    Como víctima de su propia naturaleza humana, la señora Clinton sufrió un especial momento de resequedad en la garganta que por largo rato interrumpió su intervención en la conferencia de prensa. Luego de la tercera de ellas, una asistente de la Presidencia se acercó para darle un vaso con agua, gesto que Clinton agradeció e inmediatamente resolvió su problema. Cuando bebió su fresca agua guatemalteca, esperó unos segundos y con voz nueva, continuó sus declaraciones a los periodistas. Como decimos los Guatemaltecos Hillary, la pura tos.

    As a victim to her own human nature, Mrs. Clinton suffered through a long moment of dry throat, which interrupted her own press conference. After the third interruption, a member of the Presidential staff offered her a glass of water, a gesture that the Secretary was grateful and that immediately solved the problem. When she drank the fresh Guatemalan water, she paused and in a renovated voices continued her statement to the press. As we Guatemalans say, “Hillary, la pura tos.” (Hillary rules!)

    However, in more serious matters, Mario Rodriguez from the blog of the Center for Development Research and Information (CIID for its initials in Spanish), provides his opinions on Secretary Clinton's motivations for her visit after the proposal emerged for creating a new regional bloc which would not include the United States and Canada. Rodriguez does not buy that it was only about drug trafficking [es]:

    Estados Unidos en este campo actua hipócritamente. Utiliza el tráfico de drogas como pretexto para militarizar la zona, y como arma política para intervenir en los países, ya sea por medio de la cooperación o por medio de acusaciones a gobierno no amigos de Estados Unidos de propiciar el uso de su territorio para el tráfico de drogas. Por eso la visita de Hillary Clinton al país para hablar del problema del narcotráfico es para reirse.

    U.S. is a hypocrite in this issue. Using the illegal drug trade as excuse to militarize the region, and as a political weapon to interfere in internal affairs of other countries either by international aid or via accusations towards governments that do not hold the status of “friends” of US, blaming them for facilitating illegal drug trafficking through its territories. That is why I think Hillary Clinton visiting the country “to discuss the drug traffic problem” is laughable.

    Twitter user @yomararnold jokingly writes that perhaps the real reason behind Hillary's visit [es] to Guatemala was her desire to attend Metallica concert.

  • Guatemala: United for Haiti After Earthquake

    In 1976, a powerful earthquake killed nearly 23,000 Guatemalans, most of whom were poor and indigenous peoples living in slums and other vulnerable areas. During that time, many people across the globe had not been aware of the conditions of poverty and stark contrasts in Guatemala. However, following the disaster, the formation of reconstruction groups and the arrival of massive international cooperation gave rise to organizational growth in rural and urban areas. Now, Guatemalans are united to stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti. Various efforts from different communities are taking place to lend support to those victims of the Haiti earthquake.

    Guatemala City after 1976 Earthquake (image in the Public Domain).

    Guatemala City after 1976 Earthquake (image in the Public Domain).

    El Zacapaneco [es] reports that in Gualan, a rural village of modest income, local media, radio, and television stations gathered together to organize a Telethon, where they collected up to US$2500, as well as many in kind donations. El Poptuneco [es] (based in Poptún, Petén) is also inviting people to donate and help. The blog Cultura Cristiana [es] is inviting people from the Protestant church to collaborate as good Christians and show their love for Haitians. Noticias La Esfinge [es], from Coban invites people from all religions to pray for Haiti.

    The Guatemalan Army is permanently collaborating with United Nations peacekeepers. They have many troops deployed in Haiti, and as quickly as the Government could, they sent the Specialized Unit of Humanitarian Aid and Rescue, as reported by the blog Perspectiva Militar [es]. In addition, a trained German Shepherd dog traveled with the Army to help them find the victims. The blog that provides information about Guatemalan Firefighters also reports [es] that a specialized unit was sent promptly to the island. Sensluze of the blog Banana Smoothie [es] describes the options Guatemalans have to help on her post Help Haiti!

    Walter González of the blog Guatemala en Decimas [es] wrote a poem dedicated to Haiti, as did Oxwell77 of the blog Guatezona [es] who wrote a poem. RockRepublik [es], the biggest community of rock music fans in the country, debated extensively about the best ways to help people affected by the tragedy.

    In light of the recent tragedy in Haiti and the reminder of Guatemala's own earthquake more than 30 years ago, the blog from the Fire Station in Antigua, Guatemala provides precise instructions on what to do before, during, and after an earthquake.

    Finally, Alejandro Ramírez, a Guatemalan film producer based in Haiti has been documenting the tragedy. He writes in an open letter he sent to Havana Times [es]:

    I’ve walked all of the streets of Jacmel —with my two cameras hanging from my neck— without feeling the slightest sense of aggressiveness or seeing any strange looks (something I can’t do in Guatemala City or Caracas). The whole town received me with affection and even took me to the most severe problem areas. I felt sorry for my complete lack of Creole or French, because residents recounted stories that I couldn’t understand. However many Haitians speak Spanish and were able to convey their feelings to me, an unknown white guy who was invading their space.

    He also added:

    So how can the media say that everything is a disaster if there is a mountain of hearts that still beat with the human feeling of solidarity, which is always noticed more among those who have less? And in these moments, this town is possibly one with the least – and the most.