Guatemala's Unsettled Past: How the Scars of War Still Shape the Present

The NACLA Report "Guatemala—The War is Not Over," published in 1983, was groundbreaking. It provided crucial insights into the ongoing conflict and the state-sponsored violence during the regime of Efraín Ríos Montt. The report's urgency and clarity made it a vital source for understanding the realities of the situation, challenging the narrative of a winding-down war. It also highlighted progressive forces organizing for change, documenting the unification of rural and urban populations. Its rereading today reinforces the challenges of reporting and understanding such crises.

Investigative journalism, as exemplified by NACLA, was critical in unmasking the truth. This involved in-depth investigations, source development across the political spectrum, and radical thinking. The contributions of authors like George Black, Milton Jamail, and Norma Stoltz Chinchilla were invaluable. Their non-Guatemalan identities provided a degree of protection, allowing them to venture forth more boldly. The findings from reports such as “Nunca Más” by Monsignor Juan José Gerardi and “Guatemala: Memoria del Silencio” by the Commission for Historical Clarification, combined with eyewitness testimony and documentary evidence, were pivotal. These sources played a pivotal role in the 2013 trial of Ríos Montt.

General Efraín Ríos Montt's regime was responsible for state-sponsored violence in the 1980s, including the slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians, particularly Indigenous communities. Attacks against unarmed civilians intensified under his orders, including acts of genocide and crimes against humanity against the Maya people. Despite his denials, the evidence presented in the “Nunca Más” report and the trial in 2013 confirmed his culpability.

The official narrative propagated by General Efraín Ríos Montt's regime presented a picture of a winding-down war and improved human rights. In contrast, journalists and investigators, such as those working for NACLA and those involved in the making of “When the Mountains Tremble,” revealed a far more grim reality. They documented horrific state-sponsored violence, the systematic targeting of civilians, and the silencing of voices through fear. The mainstream media, influenced by the regime, often failed to accurately portray the depth of the conflict.

Those seeking to uncover and report the truth faced significant challenges. Journalists faced immense risks, including dire consequences for reporting the reality. The army's actions were often concealed in remote areas, making it difficult to gather information. The silence surrounding the genocide, coupled with the fear instilled by the regime of Efraín Ríos Montt, made it difficult to uncover and report the truth. Furthermore, investigative journalism required navigating a complex political landscape, developing sources across the political spectrum, and often relying on the non-Guatemalan identities of some authors to provide a degree of protection.