THE 10 MOST SERIOUS SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN GUATEMALA - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Some of Guatemala's social problems are violence, drug addiction, illiteracy, crime or malnutrition, among others. The Republic of Guatemala is the possessor of a wide autochthonous culture that has been the result of its Mayan heritage but also of the Castilian influence during the colonial era.

However, at present, the aforementioned social problems in Guatemala, added to the economic and political imbalances, make it one of the countries with the highest rate of violence and alarming corruption.

Furthermore, impunity has reigned for many years and there are few guarantees for foreign investment. On the other hand, the educational system has not managed to reach all parts of the country. But this is not all.

Most serious social problems in Guatemala

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Guatemala is today one of the most violent countries in the world. Violence is one of the main threats to public safety and health. According to data from 2016, until October of last year there were 15 murders a day. This means that up to that date there were more than 4,600 crimes.

With these figures it is clear that the situation in the Central American country is really serious and worrying. The situation is comparable to an armed conflict, although officially there is no war.

Another problem that afflicts the country is violence against women. According to figures from October last year, between two and five women die violently every day in Guatemala. In addition, on day 22 of them are raped and one in five adolescents is already a mother or is pregnant.

2- Corruption

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Another of the great problems that Guatemala faces is corruption. This country has been suffering from widespread corruption for years that today is just beginning to have a solution. In 2015 Guatemalans saw how former President Otto Pérez Molina and part of his cabinet were accused of corruption and other types of crimes such as bribery.

A criminal network had been established in the country that was managed by the same government. In 2016, Attorney General Thelma Aldana assured that some 70 people belonging to the political and economic elite were involved in money laundering and bribery. For many years corruption was tolerated in the country, this led to impunity and the reinforcement of criminal structures.

3- Drug addiction

Another big problem is drug addiction. The country has long been a place for drug trafficking, but now it has alarming rates of use.

This problem especially affects the young population. Therefore, one of the main actions that the authorities are trying to carry out is the prevention of the sale of drugs and alcoholic beverages near educational centers.

After different surveys it has been determined that a large part of young women who use drugs started in this world just out of curiosity. The preferred place for the consumption of these substances is usually the street due to the influence of friends.

4- Illiteracy

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Illiteracy is another of the serious problems in Guatemala. By 2015 there were 1,300,000 people who could not read or write. This problem is usually considered as an epidemic that threatens not only freedom, but also the progress of peoples.

This is because an illiterate population has many limitations. These people do not know how to read their rights or write a resume to look for employment, for example.

Illiteracy is a chronic evil that condemns peoples to exploitation and oppression. For this reason, in recent years the authorities have carried out different initiatives to reduce illiteracy rates in the region. Thus they hope that by 2021 they can reach a literacy rate of over 96%.

5- Unemployment

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Unemployment is one of the main problems that affects the Guatemalan population, both in urban and rural areas. According to the ENEI (National Survey of Employment and Income), for 2016 it was calculated that the unemployed population was 204,000 people.

This with respect to the economically active population, which was about 6.6 million people. In Guatemala, the working-age population reaches 10.7 million.

But the biggest problem with unemployment affects the youngest. Lack of opportunities oppresses new professionals, many of whom are forced to emigrate.

According to data from the National Institute of Statistics revealed in the same survey, the population group that has the most challenges to be employed is that of young people who are between 15 and 24 years old. Last year the open unemployment rate increased to 3.1%, exceeding 2.7% of 2015.

6- Malnutrition

Another major problem in this Central American country is malnutrition. From January to November 2016, 111 children under the age of 5 died from malnutrition. This is a problem that affects more than half of the Guatemalan population.

And according to an investigation carried out by UNICEF in 2014, 43.4% of the child population (under 5 years of age) presented chronic malnutrition. This means that four out of ten children in Guatemala suffered from a delay in height for their age.

Part of the malnutrition problem has been caused by the effects of crop failure, by low income from the coffee sector, and by the decline in health services. The highest number of cases are found in rural areas, in the indigenous population and in children of parents with low levels of education.

7- Poverty

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Poverty is another of the serious problems that afflicts the Guatemalan population. Corruption, unemployment and illiteracy are some of the factors that have influenced the high rates of poverty in this country. By 2016, Guatemala was listed as one of the poorest and most violent countries in the world.

This Central American country is considered a rich country full of poor people. Although it is true that in recent years the local economy has had a stable growth of around 4%, this has not had an impact on society. Which means that a large part of the population continues in poverty.

According to figures, this would be 59.3%. These data show that Guatemala is one of the Latin American countries with the most inequality.

8- Crime

Crime is a social problem that is closely linked to violence. But it is also linked to various economic, social and cultural factors such as unemployment, poverty, underdevelopment, social inequality, discrimination, overcrowding, among others.

Currently Guatemala is on alert for delinquency and organized crime. This has been made known by the President of the Republic, Jimmy Morales.

According to the head of state, the population is experiencing a "high intensity threat." Therefore the authorities are in search of a plan that allows them to neutralize both common and organized crime.

9- Mining exploitation

Mining exploitation has endangered the lives of many people. In recent years, conflicts related to mining have become widespread.

Both indigenous and non-indigenous communities have begun to protest against the site of mines on their lands and near their homes. The population fear that these activities could negatively affect their livelihoods and their lives in general.

The mining activity has resulted in various conflicts, especially because the human rights of many of the inhabitants of these mining areas have not been respected.

A part of the population has had to suffer years of threats, violence and the result of this has been people injured and killed. Many of those who protest become the targets of threats or attacks. And worst of all is that in most cases, those responsible for these acts are not accountable to justice.

10- Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a social evil that affects many countries and Guatemala is one of them. This is usually one of those topics that is not talked about much, but it does not mean that it does not exist.

Worst of all, this problem is the number one cause not only of illness but also of accidents, job loss, financial problems and even family disintegration.

According to figures from Alcoholics Anonymous, by 2014 there were at least six million alcoholics in Guatemala. And the biggest problem is that the number has been increasing and it is women and young people who mostly suffer from this addiction.

Themes of interest

Social problems of Mexico.

Colombia's social problems.

Social problems of Peru.

References

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