My Impression of Guatemala
It was mad that we only had six days to explore Guatemala. I dare not say I have a good grasp of the country. It prompted me to start a new series of blog posts called: “My Impression of…”. I realized that I rarely wrote about my impression of a country we visited. This is my chance to jot down a few random thoughts on random observations. This being my first foray into Central America, I was curious to see how Guatemala differs from Mexico or Peru. It was exhilarating to find that Guatemala was not just a copy of her famous cousins.
“Como Como” in Antigua Guatemala!
In the end, we left Guatemala enormously grateful for the experiences. I was upset with myself for not giving ourselves enough days to visit the Mayan ruins of Tikal and the public markets of Chichicastenango. Brian and I would not hesitate to return. It is obvious why Guatemala is on so many traveler's bucket lists. We joked to friends and families that this was just a "research trip” for our trip over the Christmas holiday!
An Unknown Future
There was a precise reason why we decided to visit Guatemala this past Thanksgiving. If you followed the current event, you might have heard of widespread political upheaval in Guatemala. In June this past year, Guatemala elected Bernardo Arévalo as president in a run-off election. Running on an anti-corruption platform, Arévalo won the race by a landslide and is poised to usher in a new political era. Because of his political platform, the political and business establishment became concerned about the impending criminal investigation. The outgoing administration deployed extraordinary political maneuvers to prevent him from taking power.
Political mural of Vamos, Guatemala’s incumbent party.
The outgoing congress outlawed Arévalo’s political party. The Attorney General revoked Arévalo’s immunity as president-elect and dismissed heads of the independent electoral commission. The courts and prosecutor offices have been stacked with party loyalists. The judicial independence has been seriously undermined. Arévalo is effectively in exile to rally support for democratic norms. The president-elect has been charged with any crime and is now placed “under investigation.” What happens in Guatemala is often described as a ‘coup’ by lawfare. The erosion of democratic institutions extended to crack down on independent journalism.
The most notable case is the arrest of celebrated journalist José Rubén Zamora. He founded the three major independent papers in Guatemala and received numerous international accolades for his coverage of political corruption. Because of that, he was physically assaulted and held hostage several times. He was arrested in 2022 on money laundering charges, but the arrest is widely condemned as a form of political coercion. A year later, he was sentenced to 6 years in prison without admission of wrongdoing. Coincidentally, I went to graduate school with his son, Rodrigo. It was heartwrenching for me to read his social media posts about the family’s struggle against wrongful conviction.
An ice cream vendor on the Central Squareo of Antigua Guatemala.
Local market in Santiago Atitlán.
In response to all the political maneuvers by the Attorney General’s Office, many Guatemalans took to the streets in October to protest against the apparent attempt to prevent Arévalo from taking office. Even in a country accustomed to political upheaval, these are some of the largest demonstrations in modern times. His supporters, many of them from the indigenous community, blockaded roadways across the country for weeks. Tens of thousands of protesters descended on Guatemala City, prompting several foreign governments to issue travel advisories to all regions of Guatemala.
Brian was naturally concerned, and it took some convincing to convince him to go. The recent news from Guatemala reminded us we can’t take stabilities for granted. Following the events in Ukraine and Israel/Gaza over the past few years, I am keenly aware of how a tourist hotspot could become off-limit suddenly. With the presidential inauguration scheduled for January 14th, the world holds its breath on whether the peaceful transition of powers is possible. Let’s all pray for a peaceful and prosperous future for Guatemala.
Cleanliness
Having traveled in Peru and Mexico, I was pleasantly surprised by how tidy and clean Guatemala is. While most of the country is filled with modern concrete blocks with corrugated metal roofs, the streets look immaculate. Sure, it was not as tidy as Japan or Iceland, but Guatemalans take pride in keeping the environment litter-free. On average, there seems to be a direct relationship between a country’s income level and level of cleanliness. While it may not be the politically correct thing to say, I was almost taken aback by how clean Guatemala is.
The Reality of Two “Guatemalas”
If you googled anything about traveling through Central America, personal safety is never far from the mind. It was no coincidence that a majority of the world’s most dangerous cities are located in Latin America. This is one reason why few tourists ever bother staying in Guatemala City One of our guides attributed Guatemala’s social ills to the schism of the indigenous Mayan population and those of European ancestry. As expected, the ethnic division broadly corresponds with economic and spatial inequality.
Guatemala City may look serene but is known to be one of the most dangerous cities in the world.
While most Guatemalans are proud to celebrate the importance of indigenous culture, everyone acknowledges the lack of opportunities outside of major cities or tourist hotspots. One of the tour guides noted that the national government historically failed to provide adequate healthcare and education. About a quarter of indigenous children were stunted due to malnutrition. Over forty percent did not complete their primary education due to limited access. He spoke of how commuting to school took some of his cousins three hours. And because there is only one public hospital in rural departments (states/provinces), going to doctor could be a multi-day affair easily.
Mayan women in San Pedro La Laguna.
A worker hand-trimmed the hedges with a machete in Antigua.
According to the World Bank, around half of the population lives in poverty and has little economic and social mobility. You don’t have to be a keen observer to notice the reality of “two Guatemalas”. Just during our drive from Antigua to Panajachel, we could witness the economic disparity. Many living in rural villages still have limited access to essential services like clean water and reliable electricity. Even in the capital, visitors are advised to avoid some sections due to high poverty and crime. It was heartbreaking to hear from our hotel concierge in Guatemala City that we should get a local guide, even to venture only a few blocks away.
Patience! Patience!
If we were to talk about my first impression of Guatemala, it has got to be Guatemala City’s insane traffic jam. Officially, it takes 50 minutes to travel from La Aurora International Airport to Antigua. Since our flight landed at 2:30 pm., I imagine we could chill by the hotel pool in Antigua at around four o’clock. It did not take long for the reality to sink in. The traffic in Guatemala City was horrendous. Having been to cities with notorious traffic (like Cairo and Mumbai), I could tell you that Guatemala City took it to another level. We ended up spending over three hours in the car, wondering when the ordeal might come to an end.
According to a local guide, the name “chicken bus” is derogatory. Locals called them la burra instead.
I asked our Uber driver whether the heavy traffic we encountered was the norm. Interestingly, he mentioned that the traffic that day was particularly acute this time of the year because the government decided to slash the gas price ahead of the holiday period. However, the cause of the city’s traffic woes stems from a chronic lack of investment in public transit. Because of the relatively cheap gasoline costs and security concerns, many residents commute by private cars.
After our experience in Guatemala City, we learned that traveling around Guatemala requires a lot of patience. For instance, the shuttle ride from Antigua to Panajachel took over three and a half hours to cover a 45-mile distance. For whatever reasons, the drivers seemed to favor backroads through the mountains rather than sticking to the Pan-American Highway. Our return journey to Antigua took even longer due to the size of our shuttle vans. Now I understand why Guatemala is suitable for “slow travel”.
American Fast Foods
Living in the New York City metro, I am well aware that the relationship between the United States and Central America runs deep. There are more than a million people of Guatemalan descent living in the United States, which made Guatemalans the second largest Central American population, after Salvadorans. Remittance from the United States accounts for a noticeable percentage of Guatemala’s GDP. Naturally, we expect the economic relationship between the two countries to be close. However, I was surprised by just how dominant American fast-food chains are in Guatemala. Lining the main boulevards is one fast-food giant after another. I was particularly struck by the apparent popularity of Taco Bell here.
Pollo Campero in Antigua.
Pollo Campero in Panajachel.
Fortunately, Guatemala has one native fast giant to be proud of: Pollo Campero. This venerated fried chicken chain has more than four hundred stores worldwide and is known for its traditional offerings, such as yucca fries, horchata, and tortillas. Some even consider it a mashup of Chick-fil-A, KFC, Popeyes, and El Pollo Loco. I discovered the chain in New York City a few months ago and immediately became a fan. It is one chain that could go toe to toe with Filipino giant Jollibee. In my book, these two fried chicken chains smoke any American competitors.
