LA PLAZA: GUATEMALA: FROM BULLETS TO BALLOTS (TV)
Summary
One in this irregular screening series that addresses issues that affect the Spanish-speaking audience. This installment, a documentary, looks at the American government's complicated decision whether to provide aid to the struggling people of Guatemala. The narrator opens by stressing the historic importance of Central America to the U.S. The Guatemalan army, the narrator mentions, is the only Central American army that has fought guerrillas without any U.S. aid at all. Guatemala has also taken a number of successful steps toward transcending its reputation as a country addled with violent coups and political corruption; its citizens voted in a Christian Democrat, President Vinicio Cerezo. Cerezo speaks about his feelings about the U.S. in an interview, and. Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) speaks about Guatemala. The film then takes a look at the way in which the Guatemalan army, once wildly distrusted by the public, has earned the respect of the poor farmers who fear the rebel guerrillas roaming the already ravaged land. Washington, the narrator explains, may help Guatemala financially, if Guatemala will agree to help the United States fight the Sandanistas in Nicaragua. Some American politicians worry about Guatemala's well documented past human-rights violations, however. The film ends as Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) expresses some doubt as to whether it would be a good idea for the U.S. to get involved with the volatile country of Guatemala.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 2001/2002.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WGBH Boston, MA
- DATE: March 20, 1986
- RUNNING TIME: 0:28:01
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:15502
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Guatemala - Foreign relations - U S; Guatemala - Politics and government; U S - Foreign relations - Guatemala
- SERIES RUN: WGBH (Boston, MA) - TV series, 1981-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Raquel Ortiz … Executive Producer
- Gustavo Sagastume … Producer, Director, Writer
- Patricia Romero … Associate Producer
- Patricia Romero … Narrator
- Vinicio Cerezo
- John Kerry
- Richard Luger