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Explanation
There are left wing guerrillas who, to some extent, represent
the descendants of the original inhabitants and fight in the
name of democracy, and especially land reform. The government
forces receive assistance from the United States, whose government
is afraid that the guerrillas would set up a Communist government.
But little assistance goes into land reform which would tackle
the roots of the problem.
The regime could be classified as similar to Apartheid
in which the power is in the hands of the descendants of the
colonizers.
There has been a claim to Belize.
In January 1994 the war spilled over into southern Mexico
with a revolt by Mayas in the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Cautiously, it may be that the war has now ended and a democratic
government may allow things to improve.
But in practice only far right and rightwing parties are allowed
to contest elections and the indigenous people remain oppressed.
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