• Live
    • Audio Only
  • google plus
  • facebook
  • twitter
News > Latin America

Guatemala Marks 70th Anniversary of October Revolution

  • Each day thousands mark the Guatemalan October Revolution. (Photo: AFP)

    Each day thousands mark the Guatemalan October Revolution. (Photo: AFP)

Published 21 October 2014
Opinion

Guatemalans demanded the government to resolve the poverty and insecurity problems that increase day after day in the country.

A protest march took place Monday in Guatemala City to commemorate the 70 years that have passed since the October 1944 Revolution, and to demand solutions for problems such as poverty and violence.

Around 6,000 people marched to mark the coup against Federico Ponce successor of the dictator Jorge Ubico.

Víctor Zacarías, member of the Central General of Guatemalan Workers (CGTG in Spanish) told AFP “We are reliving the October 20, 1944, deed, an event that brought many benefits to the Guatemalan population.”

Jacobo Arbenz and, Arbenz' predecessor, José Arevalo Bermejo set up a social security system for Guatemalans, introduced agrarian and labor reforms and established a university.

Monday's protesters also expressed their discontent over the poverty and insecurity prevailing in the country showing banners with messages reading “Because of violence and corruption we need a new revolution,” or “Hungry people can not find peace.”

Zacarías added “Unfortunately, the government wants to privatize the social security services, that is why the service is terrible, and there are many violations to the labor union’s freedom.”

The government established after the October Revolution, known as the “Democratic Spring,” only lasted for 10 years, because its leftist policies alarmed the U.S., who, through the Central Intelligence Agency, organized a coup in 1954.

Comment
0
Comments
Post with no comments.