Guatemala: From the guerrilla struggle to a divided left

Abstract

The Guatemalan case fits amongst those revolutionary movements, such as its neighbor El Salvador, that were not defeated militarily (at least the guerrillas adamantly assert that they were not but had fought the military to a stalemate) but laid down their arms for the electoral option through negotiated settlements. However, power has eluded the former guerrillas since they first began contesting elections in 1995, and by the last elections, 2005, their movement was in danger of extinction, torn by internal divisions, wracked by leadership problems, and uncertain of its ideological direction.