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In 1954, General Carlos Castillo Armas led a CIA-supported coup that ousted the leftist government of Arbenz Guzman. Guzman had undertaken a policy of social reform, including nationalization of land and strengthening labor rights, that the Eisenhower government equated with communist expansion. Armas's success in overthrowing the government led to a decades-long civil war.
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Español
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Stratification of women in Guatemalan society is the subject of this program. It examines the submissiveness of upper-class women; a new emerging middle class who are defying tradition and cultural expectations to fight for their equal rights; and the indigenous population, who are segregated and discriminated against. Scenes and descriptions of sexual abuse among lower economic groups are graphic, as are descriptions of political terror. Women refugees...
5) Gold Fever
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English
Description
Goldcorp Inc. arrives in a remote village in Guatemala. Soon follows blown up mountains, despoiled water supplies and broken promises over jobs. As the gold frenzy brings in a profits bonanza for the company, the community launches a powerful resistance struggle. Dynamic and beautiful quality, this film provides a powerful look at the reality of what it means when gold miners dig into the 3rd world.
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English
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In the series, My Americas, Mexican American hosts Roberto Alcaraz and Leticia Vásquez travel into the rich cultural and spiritual life of Latin America in search of their heritage. Maya communities in Guatemala's Petén region have chosen October 12th as a Day of National Unity to promote healing and indigenous rights after the civil war. In this program, Roberto meets a Maya Catholic priest and visits a local radio station founded that broadcasts...
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English
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In "My Americas," Mexican American hosts Roberto Alcaraz and Leticia Vásquez travel into the rich cultural and spiritual life of Latin America in search of their heritage. In this program, Leticia visits the colonial town of Antigua, Guatemala, for Holy Week, with its processions featuring andas, or floats, weighing several tons and carried on the shoulders of locals. She travels to Chichicastenango to meet a weaving cooperative of Maya women who...
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Español
Description
Rigoberta Menchu has become widely known as a leading advocate of Indian rights and ethno-cultural reconciliation-and also a center of controversy-not only in her native Guatemala, but throughout the western hemisphere. In this program, Menchu, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and other international awards, talks about her life both at home and in exile, her autobiographical I, Rigoberta Menchu, her associations with the Committee of the Peasant Union...
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Español
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This program examines the lives and lifestyles of the descendants of the ancient Mayans in present-day Guatemala. From the western mountains to the subtropical region, we explore the persistent Mayan influence on Guatemalan religion, festivals, crafts, and manufacturing. Several archaeological sites and ruins of Tikal are examined, and the regions of Selva Maya and Lake Atitlan are highlighted.
Language
English
Description
Stratification of women in Guatemalan society is the subject of this program. It examines the submissiveness of upper-class women; a new emerging middle class who are defying tradition and cultural expectations to fight for their equal rights; and the indigenous population, who are segregated and discriminated against. Scenes and descriptions of sexual abuse among lower economic groups are graphic, as are descriptions of political terror. Women refugees...
Language
English
Description
Guatemala City is one of the most dangerous places in the world. Fewer than 15 out of 5,000 murders result in a conviction. A culture of political repression and intimidation has left people reluctant to trust the judiciary. But - with the help of CSI training - an elite group of officers hope to change things. This documentary follows the special homicide task force as it processes up to 30 killings a night. We also hear from the killers and victims,...
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English
Description
Coffee is second only to oil as the world's most valuable traded commodity, but small-scale producers rarely profit from it. This program reveals the hardship and uncertainty faced by coffee farmers in Guatemala, and how many are taking steps to obtain better prices and build better lives. Analyzing the country's traumatic history and the lingering effects of its civil war, the video sheds light on the reluctance of some citizens to organize for fear...
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English
Description
In recognition of her work for social justice and ethno-cultural reconciliation she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on October 12, 1992. "The celebration of Columbus is for us an insult," said Menchu, one of the most outspoken and articulate and persuasive advocates of native rights. This program presents a profile of this extraordinary woman, whose life has become a symbol of the sufferings, not only of her own Mayan Quiche people, but of all the...
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English
Description
A 36-year civil war has left over 150,000 dead and more than 1 million displaced in Guatemala. This program presents stirring portraits of three Mayan women and their efforts on behalf of peace. Adela, a widow, bravely sustains her refugee family. Justina tirelessly travels the countryside explaining the human rights movement to fellow villagers. Francesca, a Mayan priestess, reaffirms the cultural identity of her people. Stunning photography evokes...
15) Cadejo blanco
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Español
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Sarita goes out dancing one night at the insistence of her free-spirited sister, Bea. Uncharacteristically, Sarita dances the night away, heading home alone when the party drags on too late. The next morning, after calling friends and neighbors, Sarita begins to panic when she realizes that Bea never made it home. The police are indifferent and unhelpful, but Sarita suspects that Bea's disappearance has something to do with Andrés, her sister's...
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El norte: Enrique and Rosa are brother and sister Mayan Indian peasants, living in the mountains of Guatemala. When the village attempts to organize for better treatment, Enrique and Rosa are forced to flee as the Guatemalan army is sent in to punish the townspeople. Receiving clandestine help from friends and humorous advice from a veteran immigrant, they make their way to Los Angeles, hoping to make a new life as young, uneducated, and illegal...