A democratic setback in Guatemala

I have a new post up at Al Jazeera on 2013: A democratic setback in Guatemala.

Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina was recently named The Latin Trade's Leader of the Year for 2013 in recognition "for reshaping Guatemala's foreign trade and investment outlook, effectively implementing changes to position the country as an attractive destination for investment in Latin America". The World Bank's annual Doing Business report also recognised Guatemala as one of the world's top business regulation reformers for 2012-13 because of its success in reducing  obstacles to start a business, improving the way construction permits are distributed, and simplifying its tax system.

It is unfortunate that the international community chose to celebrate Molina and Guatemala with such recognition during a year in which there have been so many setbacks for democracy. I do hope that Molina and the Guatemalan government and business community will one day earn these rewards, but 2013 was not their year.

And see the first comment from Front Line Defenders which pretty much says that while everything that I say is true, it's actually much worse.

While everything Mike Allison says is true one startling fact alone illustrates how volatile the human rights situation is and how the government has not only failed to deal with the problem but has been complicit in its creation.

UDEFEGUA the national body responsible for documenting attacks on human rights defenders recorded 305 such attacks for the whole of 2012. By August of 2013 the figure for the year to date was 595. Front Line Defenders attended a crisis meeting of national and international NGOs to address this developing crisis. Of the 25 Guatemalan HRDs attending the meeting every single one had been threatened or attacked directly while others had been targeted in media smear campaigns by the secretive Foundation Against Terrorism.

Inward investment is all very well but how will it survive in a political climate where the rule of law is meaningless and where to challenge the power of the oligarchy is to be seen as a traitor to the country?

And don't blame me because the editors shortened Perez Molina to Molina and Rios Montt to Montt.