Growing Up Guatemalan in the United States

In 1964, Guatemala was operated by the military regime, violence became part of daily life, the economy became confused and the job became frightened (Cuevas, 2011). It is in this situation that a young man who is my future father - in - law gained a better life opportunity for him and his family. As a result of rumors about the prosperity of America, Alex and his brother Rene left their families to pursue hope of despair by depositing their money in Chicago. Alex left his wife Ruth with 20 Guatemalan Quetzal (equivalent to $ 20) and its three children Vivian (5 years old, Ingrid, 3 years old) and Marvin (a newly born baby).

According to the 1970 US census, 90% of the Guatemalans in the United States are Caucasians. In the 1950s and 1960s, most immigrants of Guatemala were middle class. Before the 1980s, most political immigrants in Guatemala were Latin activists, politicians who came from the city center. Since 1980, many indigenous peoples and farmers fled to the United States from the anti-riot movement of the west plateau. Many school teachers, student activists, journalists and other experts accused of being guilty of embarrassment emigrated for political reasons. Since 1980, more than 300,000 Guatemalans are illegally entering the United States.

Due to the political turmoil in the region and the economic crisis associated with it, many of the undocumented Guatemalans and other Central Americans stay in the United States since the late 1970s. In the early 1970s factors such as inflation, political instability, violence, unemployment, low wages, lack of land due to unequal land distribution, and population explosions, especially indigenous population outbreaks, caused a number of Guatemalan farmers Contributed to. Move inside and outside the scale. , Indigenous peoples and experts. In February 1976, the earthquake destroyed most of Guatemala City and made some people emigrate. From 1967 to 1976, 19,683 Guatemalans migrated to the United States, 26,865 people in Guatemala were recorded in the 1970 American census. In the 1980 American census, 62,098 Guatemalan Americans were recorded, of which 46% were from 1975 to 1980.