Guatemala coup results in human rights abuses from "summary" of Killing Hope by William Blum
In 1954, the United States orchestrated a coup in Guatemala, overthrowing President Jacobo Arbenz. This intervention was a result of the United Fruit Company's interests in the country. Arbenz had been implementing land reforms that threatened the company's extensive holdings, prompting the US to label him a communist threat. Following the coup, a series of military dictatorships took hold in Guatemala, supported by the US government. These regimes were marked by widespread human rights abuses, including torture, disappearances, and political repression. The US actively trained and supported the Guatemalan military, turning a blind eye to the atrocities being committed. One of the most notorious episodes of violence during this period was the massacre in the village of Panzós in 1978. Indigenous villagers protesting against land seizures were brutally attacked by the military, resulting in the deaths of over 200 people. This massacre was just one of many instances of state-sponsored violence that plagued Guatemala for decades. The US government continued...
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