Prensa Libre recently interviewed US Ambassador to Guatemala Todd Robinson. They covered a number of issues, including developments in the country since the arrival of CICIG, ongoing trials against former military officials for human rights abuses during the war, and how US-Guatemala relations are likely to progress when Jimmy Morales assumes office later this week.
One of the things that stands out from the interview and my reading of Guatemalan politics is the continuity of the last few years. The Public Ministry has pursued human rights violations and corruption charges under Claudia Paz y Paz and Thelma Aldana. The US Embassy has spoken with a firm voice in favor of the country’s marginalized under Stephen McFarland, Arnold Chacon, and Todd Robinson. CICIG has moved the country’s institutions forward under Carlos Castresana, Francisco Dall’Anese, and Ivan Velasquez.
While many people only began to pay attention to Guatemala happenings when sustained protests led to the resignations and arrests of the vice president and president, those events only came about as a result of years of struggle by local and foreign officials, named and anonymous, public officials and private citizens.
