The International Discussion Series is back (in-person)! The Bechtel International Center will be hosting 5 international journalism fellows at the center every Wednesday until May 10th. Our next talk ,on April 19th, will feature Guatemalan journalist Enrique Naveda, who will be discussing the future of democracy in Guatemala. Lunch will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. RSVP below. For more information on the speakers and discussion topics, check out the event posting here. This is a series and will take place every Wednesday at 12 PM.

Talk Description: Has Guatemala's Democracy Ended? The United States’ Troubling Alliance

Guatemala has lost the little democracy it had, and it is on a journey back toward its dark and recent past. A range of corrupt officials, crony capitalists, and organized crime figures have taken control of the government, demolishing democratic institutions and effectively ending the golden age in the fight for justice. In the last two years, in a recreation of the 1980s, judges, journalists, human rights activists, and even musicians, have faced retaliation, prosecution, exile, or murder. At the same time, the United States, once a key advocate for the rule of law in Guatemala, now appears erratic, burdened by its own domestic political crisis and is allying with the current autocratic regime to minimize migrations.

Come and hear from Spanish-Guatemalan journalist Enrique Naveda about the background of this story. Naveda is the co-founder and editor in chief of Plaza Pública, Guatemala’s first online investigative magazine. The publication is regarded as one of the most trustworthy news outlets in Guatemala and Latin America. He has contributed to The New York Times,The Washington Post, El Faro, and other international outlets, and is also the author of two nonfiction books and a co-author of another two.