Guatemala

:For the city, see Guatemala City.

History

Main article: History of Guatemala

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From the 3rd century BCE to the 11th century CE, the lowlands area of the Petén region of Guatemala was the heart of the flourishing Maya civilization.

Related Topics:
3rd century - BCE - 11th century - CE - Petén - Maya civilization

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After the collapse of the lowland states, the Maya states of the central highlands continued until conquered by the Spanish, who first arrived in 1523 and colonised the area. Alta Verapaz is known for the fact that after failing to conquer it by the sword the Spanish entered by the cross, with missionaries. Almost all Pre-Columbian Maya books were lost due to the policy of Spaniards during the colonial period of burning them. The Popol Vuh, a Pre-Columbian Maya creation story, is one that survived.

Related Topics:
Spanish - 1523 - Alta Verapaz - Popol Vuh

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Guatemala became independent of Spain in 1821, first as a part of the United Provinces of Central America.

Related Topics:
1821 - United Provinces of Central America

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This confederation fell apart in a war from 1838 to 1840, and Guatemala became an independent nation.

Related Topics:
1838 - 1840

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Guatemalan history has been marked by various interventions by the United States. The Central Intelligence Agency with little support from Guatemalan citizens, orchestrated the overthrow of the democratic Guatemalan government in 1954. This was known as Operation PBSUCCESS and led to a period of unrest in the nation in which over 100,000 Guatemalans were killed in a war that lasted over 3 decades. The Guatamalans killed were mostly indigenous Mayan Indians and is alleged to be one of the most recent ethnic cleansings that has occured in modern times. This came out of the oppresive nature of the Guatamalan government, the widespread racism within the country, and the war against URNG Marxist insurgents, which was supported by the U.S. More than 450 Mayan villages were destroyed with more than 100,000 dead and over one million refugees.

Related Topics:
United States - Central Intelligence Agency - 1954 - Operation PBSUCCESS - URNG

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Further involvedment of the CIA in Guatemala included the training of 5,000 Cuban anticastristas on Guatemalan soil for what would become the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion.

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1996 marked the end of a bloody 36-year war with the marxist-guerrilla Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG). The signing of the peace treaty was orchestrated by Richard Aitkenhead, currently a top advisor to President Oscar Berger. Since then the country has enjoyed successive democractic elections, the most recent of which was in 2003. Corruption, however, continues to run rampant throughout all levels of government.

Related Topics:
1996 - Oscar Berger - 2003

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Guatemala has long claimed all or part of the territory of neighboring Belize. While Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in 1991 (ten years after the fact), the border between them has not yet been finalized. Negotiations are currently underway under the auspices of the Organization of American States to conclude the dispute. For further details, see: Foreign relations of Belize, Belize–Guatemala Territorial Issue.

Related Topics:
Belize - Organization of American States - Foreign relations of Belize

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