Why are Guatemalas rural people poor?
The origins of rural poverty are in the country’s long history of social discrimination and inequality. Indigenous groups have traditionally been excluded from the social, economic and political mainstream. The situation has been exacerbated by Guatemala’s complex topography. High mountains and dense forests have kept mainly indigenous communities remote from the rest of the country. Centuries of isolation and neglect have resulted in chronic poverty. Today, although indigenous communities make up 41 per cent of the population, they account for less than a quarter of Guatemala’s total income and consumption. They have extremely limited access to basic services and infrastructure such as roads and markets. The causes of poverty are primarily related to the lack of access to social and productive assets and resources such as land and water. Income distribution and land ownership are extremely uneven. Illiteracy and lack of education contribute to keeping people poor. Indigenous communiti
