Guatemala does do a good job of glitzing it up...
I challenge you to find a meteorologist in the states delivering the daily forecast quite like this:
or like this:
But sadly the done up 'do, animal print, and mile high stilettos can't hide or make up for things making news out here, things I wish I was making up:
- Four candidates running for mayor of Guatemala City have been murdered. And by who? Their opponent. He even had himself shot while wearing a bullet proof vest, you know, to try to divert suspicion. (What?!?! Can you even believe this?)
- The body guard for the daughter of the Presidential front runner, shot and killed a traffic cop after he asked him to not park in a loading zone. The body guard fled the scene and has yet to be found. (Again, really?!??!)
- A recent report has found that homeless children as young as 9 years old are being recruited by gangs in the city to carry out murders and other robberies...seen as dispensable commodities. (No comment here. It is too horrifying.)
- And from a recent op-ed: "... Guatemala is sunk in a nightmare of violence, with more murders than Libya or Afghanistan."
The news here is truly horrible. Guatemala you are so beautiful and have so much to offer...I hope one day you can get it together.
Oh wow. That is crazy stuff. Thinking of you.
ReplyDeleteNext time you all get a chance to come to Pana, visit the NGO Mayan Families. We're working with them in villages around the lake this week and it's amazing the extent of the need...and the hard work Mayan Families is doing to try to make a dent in that need.
ReplyDeletethat is truly unbelievable.
ReplyDelete