EspañolThe failed peace process in Guatemala should serve as an example to other Latin-American nations that have been harassed by Marxist guerrillas seeking legitimacy at any cost. The only objective of these terrorists is to seek revenge against the state and its security apparatus, and to profit from the misery they have caused.
In 1996, Guatemala signed a peace accord with the guerrilla under blackmail-like conditions. European countries, as guarantors of the agreement, insisted on the creation of non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) dedicated to the protection of human rights, which they agreed to fund.
This is how the “defense of human rights” has turned into a business for ex-guerilla terrorists in this Central American country. Hidden behind the mask of “defenders,” and with the use of millions of Euros in donor money, these NGO activists continue to foment fear and destroy public and private property.
This is how the “defense of human rights” has turned into a business for ex-guerilla terrorists in this Central American country.
Since the early 1990s, ex-guerrillas have managed to make their way into government and the national media, by way of the organizations like the Historical Clarification Commission, which registered, without any historical rigor, the 200,000 or so victims of the Guatemalan Civil War.
Biased information about Guatemala has earned the sympathy of foreign observers, allowing “defenders of human rights” — the same terrorists from the time of the conflict — to raise astronomical amounts of money. Between 2007-2013, Guatemalan NGOs and government have received about €135 million (US$169 million) from the European Union, among other donations.
NGOs, by perpetuating terror and crime in Guatemala, create an image of rampant violence and human-rights violations that shapes international public opinion. They plant images of the misery of poverty into the public consciousness, causing the word “Guatemala” to be associated with injustice, lack of respect for human rights, and crime in general. All of this fuels the continued flow of donations.
The most evident case in recent weeks is the terrorist attack in the city of San Juan Sacatepéquez, a few kilometers outside of the Guatemalan capital, where 11 indigenous campesinos were killed.
The group responsible for the attack has been known since the time of the incident. They are the same individuals who hide behind the mask, “defenders of human rights.” Most notable among them is the Committee of Campesino Unity (CUC), headed by Daniel Pascual, an ex-guerrilla fighter and current benefactor of sizable international donations.
CUC is the same organization that set fire to the Spanish Embassy in 1980, killing multiple people — the same CUC that is now funded by Spanish and European donors.
This arouses rage and hatred among NGOs, because it represents the end of their lucrative business.
The most brutal murder of late took place on September 19. The victims, employed at a local cement plant, had formed a committee for the victims of terrorism caused by NGOs.
The CUC and other NGOs are upset with cement plants, hydroelectric plants, mines, and other businesses, which bring employment, community revitalization, and progress to Guatemala. This arouses rage and hatred among the NGOs, because it represents the end of their lucrative business.
However, there is hope this will not happen in other countries that take notice of the errors committed during the so-called peace process in Guatemala. The international community, especially large European donors, should be aware they are financing organized crime and legalized terrorism, which will continue as long as their donations exist.
In the end, European citizens must demand their governments be held accountable for spending their tax dollars in this manner.