Days 89 – Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

The Republic of Guatemala is a country on the Pacific coast of Central America, bordered by Mexico to the north, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. It is the largest country in Central America with a land area of 42,000 square miles and a population of approximately 18 million. Originally forming part of the mighty Mayan civilisation, it was mostly conquered in the 16th century by the Spanish and gained its independence in 1821. For the second half of the 19th century it suffered a great deal of political instability and civil unrest and for the first half of the 20th century it was ruled by a series of dictators. In 1954 a United States backed military coup installed a US backed dictatorship. From 1960 to 1996 there was a vicious Civil War between the US backed dictatorship and various leftist rebels. This period saw a genocide committed by US backed military governments against the indigenous population, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 160,000 people. A peace treaty was finally agreed in 1996 and Guatemala returned to democratic status. One of the most brutal US backed dictators was Efrain Rios Montt who was described by President Ronald Reagan “as a man of great personal integrity”. Rios Montt served as de facto president from 1982 to 1983. He was eventually convicted of crimes against humanity and genocide in 2013, although this conviction was promptly overturned and he died before a further trial could be held.

Poverty

According to a 2023 survey, 56% of Guatemala‘s population lives in poverty and the country has the highest rate of child malnutrition in Latin America (around 50% of children). Access to clean water and education is limited and conditions are particularly bad for rural communities and indigenous people as rural villages usually lack sanitation, electricity and healthcare. Government corruption and lack of motivation prevents resources reaching those most in need and Guatemala spends less on social services than any other country in the region (source: theborgenproject.org). Although very modest progress has been made during recent years the economy remains hampered by low productivity, manufacturing and services. A large percentage of the population works informally and does not have access to social mobility. Women and indigenous people are particularly restricted. Guatemala is also highly vulnerable to environmental challenges such as earthquakes, hurricanes and droughts, plus deforestation, slashing and burning and soil erosion which only make matters worse.

Antigua Guatemala

Today we went on a trip to the world Heritage listed historic town of Antigua Guatemala. Although it is only some 50 miles from the port of Puerto Quetzel, the roads and traffic are so bad that it took 2 1/2 hours each way!! However it was definitely worth the effort. Built some 1550 m above sea level, in an earthquake prone area, Antigua Guatemala was founded in 1524. It has been destroyed several times by fire, earthquakes and an avalanche. Most of the surviving civil and religious buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries and are beautiful examples of Baroque influenced architecture in Latin America. Legal protection for the city’s architecture was established in 1944 when it was declared a national monument and development is now severely restricted. We loved visiting the town – the quaint buildings and houses and historical monuments retain all of their authentic charm. The people are really friendly and the central market, plus the endless little shops and cafés, make for a thoroughly enjoyable day out.

Volcano de Fuego

On the way to Antigua we had the exciting opportunity to drive past the Volcano de Fuego which is an active volcano in the Sierra Madre, about 10 miles west of Antigua. Fuego, as it is known, is constantly active, spewing out ash and smoke approximately every 10 to 15 minutes. The last major eruption was in 2018 which generated large pyroclastic flows which ultimately filled the protective drainage ravines and overflowed down to the surrounding communities. The town of San Miguel Los Lotes was buried under pyroclastic material and many of its residents were killed. Following this eruption 99 people were reported as dead with a further 200 missing. Today it was genuinely exciting to drive along the base of this puffing giant, waiting for the next belt of Ash and gas to emerge definitely not something we do every day! All in all a truly wonderful day.