Security Issues on the Mexico-Guatemala Border and Their Relationship to the New National Security Policy of the United States

Abstract

Since the beginning of President Barack Obama’s administration in 2009, a series of summits and agreements have been organized owing to the concern over violence and security in Central America, particularly in Guatemala. The year 2011 was especially significant regarding Central American security issues. In April 2011, the creation of two military bases in Chiapas, a Mexican state bordering Guatemala, was announced. In May, the Organization of American States (OAS) secretary general issued an alert on the seriousness of criminality prevailing in Central America and its possibilities to worsen if criminal organizations continued to establish their operations in this region, where countries are weaker and smaller compared to Mexico and Colombia. On June 22 and 23, the Central American Security Conference was held in Guatemala; 110 representatives attended the conference, among them Spain, the United States, Canada, the OAS, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Bank figured prominently. These events were not only significant but also emblematic of a larger picture of wider security issues.