Ex-Guerrilla Soldiers and Spanish School

  Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
Tuesday, November 27, 2007

           You may still be wondering, what have I been doing, besides learning about coffee and going to markets and riding chicken busses? My plan, as you may recall, was to spend a few days with Nelson and then find a place to volunteer for a couple of weeks, possibly taking Spanish classes as well. I came to Quetzaltenango on the recommendation of a friend who had studied here a few years before, and intended to work through her school. However, while at the finca, I talked to a student from that school who noted that the activities director was new and hadn't been doing a very good job. I also talked to a student at a different school who raved about it. They were apparently always full (a good sign) and had a number of volunteer opportunities. More interestingly, many of the teachers were ex-guerrilla soldiers in Guatemala's civil war, which ended about 10 years ago; consequently, many of the activities and excursions dealt with Guatemala's history and social issues. So it was that I found myself Monday morning at the Proyecto Linguistico Quetzalteco de Espanol (PLQ).
 
          As luck would have it, while I wasn't around for long enough to volunteer (Nelson came to visit from Monday afternoon through Wednesday morning), there was indeed a space for me to study Spanish in the afternoons. My estimation of the school rose even more while attending a 2-hour orientation, most of which taught students about the recent history of the country and the role of the guerrilla soldiers. In a nutshell: the country was originally inhabited by the Mayans, who still make up 60% - 80% of the population. 75% of the Mayans were wiped out within 75 years of Spanish colonization, which began in 1521 and lasted 300 years. By the time Guatemala gained its independence in 1821, a strong class system was already in place, in which most of the power lay in the hands of the criollos, direct descendants of the Spanish conquistadors. Ladinos (those of mixed Spanish and indigenous blood) were next in line, while the indigenous people were at the bottom of society (as is still true today). The country was ruled in this undemocratic way for over 120 years, during which time the United Fruit Company, a private U.S. company, gained control of approximately 75% of the useable land. (They also owned Guatemala's only port and railroad system.) The indigenous Mayas, incidentally, had to work for free for 100 days a year in order to prove they weren't vagrants, with the only alternatives being either joining the military or going to jail.
 
          In 1944 there was a popular uprising, and the period from 1944 - 1954 is referred to as the "Democratic Spring." Two leaders, Juan Jose Arevalo and Colonel Jacobo Arbenz, instituted a number of reforms, including a minimum wage law, an 8-hour workday, and priority for education in the budget. At the end of this period, Arbenz also planned to put into place some mild land reforms, in which the unused land owned by large landowners would be purchased by the government and redistributed to landless peasants. The price of the land would be the same as the value which had been declared by these landowners for tax purposes.
 
          Surprisingly (ha ha), the United Fruit Company didn't like this idea. When the Guatemalan government didn't listen to their complaints, they began a covert lobbying operation to the Eisenhower government (run by a marketing guy from Coca Cola) to convince them that the Guatemalan government was communist. As it turned out, four of the major players in the United Fruit Company included the US Ambassador to Guatemala, the US Ambassador to the UN, the Secretary of State, and the Head of the CIA. In 1954, the CIA staged a coup, Arbenz was forced to step down, and Guatemala was again ruled by a series of dictators. Reforms were reversed, land was returned to the big landowners, and there began a period of violent repression.
              
           Between 1962 and 1979, three guerrilla groups formed in different parts of the country to rebel against the government, and in 1980 these groups joined forces. The period between 1979 and 1988 saw the most intense fighting, as well as state repression against anyone they suspected of possibly helping the guerrillas. This meant, in great part, anyone indigenous (since they tended to live in the areas where the guerrillas were hiding out) and/ or poor (since they would have more reason to join the guerrilla forces). Reporters who tried to tell the truth, Catholic priests (since they tended to help the poor), and teachers were other targets. This repression was pretty horrible - without getting into too many of the gory details, suffice it to say that entire villages were destroyed, the people rounded up and killed, the houses and surrounding fields burned. The results were dire: during 36 years of war, one million Guatemalans were internally displaced, 50,000 left the country, 200,000 were killed, and 150,000 "disappeared." International assistance was late to come, since the state denied the war to outsiders. Indeed, even many Guatemalans (particularly those living in cities) knew little of what was going on, and the story still isn't taught in schools.
 
          In 1986 the peace process began, in large part as a result of foreign intervention. (The United States, meanwhile, had been financing the state's army in the name of anti-communism.) PLQ (my Spanish school) was founded in 1988 in part to spread the word about the war to its foreign students, many of whom returned home to become activists. And, of course, it still teaches the story today, not only through its Spanish classes, but also by means of documentaries, guest speakers, and excursions to places of importance.
 
           On Saturday, for instance, we visited a former camp in the mountains near Xela, where our guide, Amaro, lived for about five years. Perched at the top of the mountain, looking over the nearby volcanoes, he told us about his life as a guerrilla. All the guerrillas were unpaid, he said; they fought because their conscience told them to, and because they didn't see any other option for changing the government. They hoped one day to put in place a system which would help the poor, providing everyone with health care, education, and good working conditions; they felt sad in their hearts when they saw children die or have to work at six years of age. The mountain we had climbed to reach this lookout was quite steep, yet Amaro had climbed steeper ones many times, carrying 80 - 100 pounds on his back. When not engaged in military action, the guerrillas usually got up at 5:30, did exercises from 6:00 - 7:00, ate breakfast, then engaged in a variety of tasks such as studying politics or literacy (those who could read and write taught those who couldn't), cutting firewood, or burying or taking out arms from hiding places in the ground. Sometimes they walked during the day, from around 6am to 6pm. They usually ate just twice a day, cooking their food early in the morning so as not to alert outsiders of their whereabouts. Meals consisted mostly of rice and beans. Both men and women prepared the food; they were treated as equals in all regards (although the women didn't have to carry quite as much). When they were in areas with more people, however, they only walked at night, from 7:00 pm until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning. They slept just two hours a day and ate only rice. Sometimes they had no food, and had to endure hunger and cold for up to five days. Luckily the water in the mountains was safe to drink, and at times they were able to supplement their diet with edible plants. Amazingly, nobody died or even became seriously ill as a result of these tough living conditions. People's bodies are more resistant when they live closer to nature, explained Amaro; also, the guerrillas were able to endure these hardships because they felt so strongly about the cause they were fighting for. Some people spent 15 years like this! It's important to remember these heroes and martyrs who sacrificed so much to change their country, Amaro asserted with passion as he finished his talk.
 
            So, how has Guatemala changed? Certainly, nobody can claim that it's perfect: there's still poverty (estimated at about 50% of the population), gang violence (particularly in the capital), violations of human rights (many committed by people with ties to the government), lack of health care and education, and the failure of a workable justice system. Yet looking at life today and fifteen years ago, there's really no comparison. People can read and say what they want without fear of retribution, and no longer do villagers have to hide in order to sleep at night. Our teachers at the school can be open about their connection to the war, and the president-elect has made a number of promises which, if he keeps them, could bring about many advances for the poor.
 
          Finally, as a foreign tourist, I'm happy to report that I've felt quite safe: a large (and friendly) police presence in the areas frequented by tourists means that not much bad is likely to happen as long as you take sensible precautions such as not walking alone at night; and if you're really not a risk-taker, you can pay a bit more to travel long distances with a private mini-bus. Indeed, I've found the tourism industry to be surprisingly well-developed. And, while there tend to be an awful lot of locks on the heavy metal doors, the people I've met have been wonderfully kind and friendly. If any of my writings have made you consider going to Guatemala yourself, I would wholeheartedly recommend that you go! You may even be able to help bring about more positive changes in this beautiful country, through investing your dollars in community-based ecotourism or even volunteering your time with development projects.