From a bloody past to a troubled present, Delaware's Guatemalans seek a brighter future with new President Bernardo Arv [View all]

Guatemalans in Newark and Georgetown are hopeful for positive change back home with the election of a new leader.

By Johnny Perez-Gonzalez
February 11, 2024

Thousands have fled Guatemala over the past 60 years, hoping to escape a civil war that lasted from 1960 to 1996. The following years saw rising violence, civil unrest and pervasive poverty.

Over the course of the 36-year-long war, more than 200,000 Guatemalans were killed or disappeared. Indigenous Maya made up 83% of that number of casualties. The U.S.-backed Guatemalan army’s destruction of more than 600 villages further deepens the scars of the country’s history.

Many of those who fled the violence ended up in Delaware. Guatemalans make up the second-largest segment of Latino residents in the state.

Last month, Guatemala’s new President Bernardo Arévalo took office, after promising to battle corruption. With new leadership, what do Delaware’s Guatemalan residents hope for from the new administration?

. . .

Looking back at the corruption and lack of support from the Guatemalan government, Garcia emphasizes the resilience of her community. While acknowledging the challenges, she believes that if the new president supports their dreams and the community’s hard work, there is potential for economic benefits, reducing the need for migration to the US.

More:
https://whyy.org/articles/delaware-guatemalans-bernardo-arevalo-presidency/