A Dangerous Country with an Uncertain Future

In Guatemala, the tormented republic in the heart of Mesoamerica, the casual visitor is struck by the quantity of yellow school buses roaring across the country's roads. The foreign traveler could be led to believe that this is an expression of the national fight against illiteracy and poverty plaguing the country: nothing could be farther from the truth! These are vehicles bought on auction by enterprising individuals who refurbish them in order to provide rides at competitive rates to the general population.
These former US school buses are then leased to drivers who push them to the max in order to take home a modest wage. They are jokingly called "chicken buses", because peasants often bring their poultry on board in this predominantly rural nation.

In addition to school buses, Guatemalans buy used cars from the US. They clog the roads of the country, which are perennially being repaired, especially in the plateau where landslides are frequent. From Puerto Barrios-Izabal, Guatemala's only port on the Caribbean, they are imported into the country by locals and foreigners alike. These are noisy, polluting wrecks which feed a whole related industry, consisting of repair shops and spare parts resellers.
Two maya kids being photographed by a gringo. This image sums up well the country's position vis-à-vis the United States, which is not only a source of used buses and cars, but much else besides. The strong presence of US capital in the archetypal banana republic is one thing. Then there is the accumulated US demand for cocaine, since drug traffickers use the eastern regions of the country to transfer the product from Colombia up north. Not coincidentally, these are the regions that appear less poor. Lastly, the US is a prime destination for Guatemalan immigrants and a precious source of dollar remittances. The Obama administration is cracking down on illegal immigration, with the unstated aim of containing the growing Latino presence.
Other problems worsen the country's already precarious predicament. One is human trafficking, especially of women and children, which is as frequent as drug trafficking. According the UN, it will soon surpass the illegal drug and arms trade. Another is gang warfare, a bitter leftover of the civil war, which left behind many men whose only skill is firing weapons. On the side of the law or against it. In 2009, almost 10,000 murders were committed, more than the deaths caused by the civil war, which ended in 1995. Guatemala has long been prey of multinationals and businessmen with few scruples. The country is still a tax haven. After tourism and oil, coffee is the main export. Even Illy buys Guatemalan coffee. While Colombia and Venezuela are making strides, a solution to this country's huge economic and social problems is not in sight. Guatemala suffers from a fragile and corrupt state, which is unable to fulfill its responsibilities in terms of democratic security and education of the younger generations. From Tegucigalpa, the future looks uncertain and dangerous!