Guatemala once was a magnificent vacation destination for many Americans. Now, many Americans are choosing a different getaway.Guatemala has seen many changes to daily life due to drug cartels and street gangs. Drug cartels and street gangs have been taking over the cities and rural areas. These two very dangerous groups of people have been threatening some people and killing others. Many families have to pay to guarantee a safe life. If a family cannot pay, they have to escape their homeland. The cartels and gangs ruined many families and traumatized many more. The citizens need help but, not from only themselves. The government needs to help and realize that there is a problem that can ruin their country. The government needs to take control of the problems that the cartels and gangs create.
Guatemala is a large Latin American country with only a population of 12,701,000. This country is sometimes misjudged because many people see it as a tourist destination, but sadly it is a very dangerous place to be. The capital of this beautiful Caribbean state, Guatemala City has a high crime rate. Many times the crimes committed are shootings and drug trafficking, but the crimes can be more than that. Most crimes are encouraged by the cartels that the government cannot control. (Guatemala Facts 1)
Guatemala’s drug and gang issues did not originate in their homeland. Mexico had a huge influence on the drug issues. A state patrol office states, “Members of the Zetas, another
The Mayan people’s struggle for equality led to tensions with the government of Guatemala. Since Mayans are the indigenous people of the country, they felt they should have the same opportunities and recognition as other ethnic groups in the region (Genocide). However, “when Spanish explorers conquered this region in the 16th century, the Mayans became slaves in their own homeland” (ibid). The Mayans were no longer able to exercise their rights, and lost their identity in their homeland. As a result, in the 1970s, the Mayans decided to take matters into their own hands and rebel against the Guatemalan government (GUATEMALA 1982). Years of pent up aggression were finally being expressed, but the government
Honduras has the highest homicide rate in the world. (worldatlas.com) It’s a country that has been affected by imperialism multiple times throughout its history. In the early parts of the country's history, Honduras was imperialised by Spain and went through a couple of different political powers before becoming independent. During more recent times the U.S. used military force to gain control of the country in hopes to help the political uproar and failing country using imperialistic tendencies. Imperialism shaped Honduras into the country it is today by creating unnecessary wars leading to political tension, hindering the country’s economic and modern development and is continuing to shape the country by trying to reverse the adverse effect that imperialism had before.
Over the years, Salvadoran citizens have been experiencing a rise in homicides in their communities. A large portion of these homicides go unsolved and are a result of gang violence. El Salvador is ranked in the top three most deadly Latin American countries in the world. It has been consumed with violence that includes everything from gang violence, to political corruption, to police brutality, and even a declining economy, which is basically everything that can go wrong in a society bunched up into one small country. Interestingly enough, El Salvador has a history of conflict and subjugation. El Salvador is unique among its Central American neighbors not only because of its small size and dense population, but also geographically it is the
United States’ system has its foundation on an agreement between the people and the government to ensure that individual liberties continue to prosper under a free society. The Declaration of Independence lists three important rights that the Founding Fathers considered natural and unalienable. They are the right to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Government exists to protect these rights. On other hand, the purpose of Guatemala’s government, according to the Guatemala’s Constitution, is to promote the common welfare, the consolidation of the regime of legality, security, equality, justice, liberty and peace. Both countries have its foundation on democracy; nevertheless, there are specific characteristics that mark a difference between them.
Originating in the United States, ms-13 and similar gangs have had a devastating impact on central America. This article describes the origins from the United States and how through the Los Angeles Riots and other tough on crime policies had the effect of placing many immigrants and criminals back in their home country of central America. The deportees some of that might have been criminals and taken to the United States as children, united in desperation to become ms-13. The article further describes the brutality that the gangs have committed in the region. Through drug trade, smuggling and senseless murder, life in central America has been disturbed by gangs and have become a national security there. The dangers of gangs in central America
In 1964, Guatemala was being run by a military junta, violence was a part of every day life, the economy was in shambles, and jobs were scare (Cuevas, 2011). It was in this setting that a young man, my future father-in-law, took a chance at a better life for he and his family. Enticed by rumors of prosperity in the United States, Alex and his brother Rene saved their money to journey to Chicago, leaving their families behind in a search for hope that was borne of desperation. Alex left his wife Ruth with 20 Guatemalan Quetzal, the equivalent of $20 dollars, and their three children, Vivien, 5, Ingrid, 3, and Marvin, a newborn baby. What experience lay in store for he and his family? How would they fare in an unknown country, without
Mexico has a long history of cartels the deaths, drugs and weapon trafficking is in all time high increasing year by year. “Mexico's gangs have flourished since the late 19th century, mostly in the north due to their proximity to towns along the U.S.-Mexico border. But it was the American appetite for cocaine in the 1970s that gave Mexican drug cartels immense power to manufacture and transport drugs across the border. Early Mexican gangs were primarily situated in border towns where prostitution, drug use, bootlegging and extortion flourished” (Wagner). They keep themselves armed and ready with gun supplies shipped from the U.S, taking control of the drug trades. The violence is spilling so out of control that
During the 1970’s more and more protests and uprisings in the capital and the southwest part of the nation became very frequent, and overtime, very violent. The Peace Pledge Union expressed a dramatic and detailed example of the violent acts that the military of Guatemala practiced on Indian natives in search of subversives,
Guatemala is a beautiful country that is known for its many Mayan cites, rich culture and its wide rainforest. The country has volcanos, delicious foods and a wonderful atmosphere that make for a rich tourist attraction. But the country has a history that isn’t as wonderful as I have made it sound. This country has endured a very tragic Civil War that started in 1960 and ended in 1996. This 36 year war was devastating to this country because of the many deaths that had happened and because of all of the tragic moments that happened within the span of the war. The Guatemalan Civil War was one of the many acts of genocide that have happened all around the world but even though there were many tragedies this country has developed past it and become the beautiful
Mexican Drug Cartels have been a problem for many years. The cartels are an organized crime organization and they don’t just deal drugs; they commit murders too. The Cartels origins are traced back to the Columbian Cali and Medellin mega-cartels who were responsible for the majority of drug trafficking into the United States. Crime has existed for many years but it surfaced more when Pablo Escobar was popular. Pablo Escobar was one the main transporters for cocaine throughout Mexico and the United States coming straight out of Columbia. Law enforcement tried to stop the drug trade but Escobar formed a relationship with Mexico-based traffickers who smuggled drugs into the United States. Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo also known as “The Godfather” of the cartels. Seeing how he established the Guadalajara Cartel, which is recognized as the first Mexican Cartel, and were the first to link up with Escobar and started the transportation of cocaine
Central America has been plagued in the past with drugs, violence and poverty. This is a concerning issue because it have affected the lives of many people who now want to move away because of the death rates that has risen up because of the violence in the area. Due to the thousands corruption, poverty, and violence occurring in Central America, the Central American Government has allowed the immigration crisis to exceed in its country.
The country was foreign, a first for me. Dilapidation and ruin scattered the horizon as far as one could see. Guatemala is a place where poverty has a strong grasp on its people. We traveled tirelessly for hours to reach the poorest of the poor. Upon arrival old, young, and natives of all shapes and sizes formed receiving lines, eager to welcome us with gifts of smiles and gratitude. It was an experience that forever changed me. This was the first time I had stepped outside the boundaries of the American culture into a world where nothing is taken for granted. Each day spent on my mission trip brought a fresh awareness of gratefulness. Any pre-trip reluctance quickly became a vague memory as my emotions welled within bring a fresh change to
The Central American counties of the Northern Triangle: Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are considered the most dangerous countries in the world that are not at war. The region is very unstable due to weak governments and gangs. The gangs in these countries rule the streets taking innocent lives, sex trafficking and rapimg women and children, while the government does little to stop them. The violence started at different times in these countries. In Honduras during the 1980s the right- winged rebel group, the Contras housed themselves in the country. El Salvador’s violence dates back to 1979 with the Civil war. This war was between the government’s military and the leftiest
Guadeloupe is an overseas department of France and is a part of a group of islands in the chain of the Eastern Sea. The main territory of Guadeloupe consists of the twin islands of Basse-Terre to the west and Grande-Terre to the east, the two being separated by a narrow channel, the Salée River; other islands in the group are Marie-Galante to the southeast, La Désirade to the east, and the Saintes Islands (Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas) to the south. The Capital is Basse-Terre. The original language is French, it really doesn’t have a particular religion, and the monetary unit is the euro. The population is 399,000 (current in 2016).
Crime, death, and destruction in Latin America is a big issue that’s spreading around the whole world. It’s becoming a worldwide problem and it needs to be fixed. Trafficking drugs to other countries and what not, are the main cause of crime, death and destruction of property in Latin America. “According to police data, these countries collectively saw 17,422 murders in 2015, 11% more than in 2014. However, there are signs the security challenges are changing, both in Northern Triangle and across Central America as a whole.” This shows that murders are occurring more often than they should. El Salvador is increased in murders between 2014-15 and its one of the highest in the world. The