Allison Davenport

Guatemalan senator and champion of human rights, Nineth Montenegro, spoke at the Center for Latin American Studies on January 28, 1999 as part of a four-day lecture tour of the Bay Area.

Throughout the long struggle for social justice in Guatemala, Montenegro has worked towards a vision of Guatemala with economic and social justice as its foundation. As one of the original founders of the Mutual Support Group (GAM- Grupo de Apoyo Mutuo), Montenegro helped to create a network among those who had friends or relatives kidnapped, murdered, or disappeared during Guatemala's brutal civil war. GAM advocates for the release of those who are still alive and demands that the parties involved in any brutalities be brought to justice.

Montenegro currently serves as a senator as part of the New Guatemala Democratic Front (FDNG- Frente Democratico Nueva Guatemalteca), which was formed in 1995 just 45 days prior to the November general elections. Montenegro describes the FDNG as "a coalition of union members, widows, orphans and human rights activists." She characterizes the party as "humanist, not ideological" and as seeking a new path rather than looking to the old models of the Left such as Communism or Socialism. The party currently holds twenty mayorships and six congressional seats. Of those six congressional members, three are women and two are indigenous. In addition to her congressional duties, Montenegro also serves as the chair of the congressional Commission on Women, Youth, and Family.

While the violence which plagued Guatemala during the 1980's has decreased dramatically, Montenegro pointed out that just because "there is no war does not mean problems have been solved." Rather, she said that a different kind of violence now plagues the nation, "a social violence." This violence takes the form of discrimination, lack of opportunity, and the growing divide between rich and poor. Despite some of the economic growth and increasing infrastructure in Central America, Montenegro asserts that today "in Central America the rich are richer and the poor are poorer." She cited examples such as children and families living in the street as evidence of the deteriorating social situation, things that were rarely seen even during the chaos of the civil war. Montenegro pointed to neo-liberal economic policies as "benefiting only the rich" both within and beyond countries like Guatemala, saying that "the privatization of electricity and phones does not mean people have the money to pay for them."

Montenegro and the FDNG are focusing on the congressional races in the 1999 elections. Montenegro believes that the congress has the most potential to impact budget allocation decisions and to avoid the pattern of fraud of the past. Montenegro also noted that the 1999 elections will include for the first time the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union (URNG- Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca), a coalition of guerrilla groups, as a political party. In Montenegro's opinion, this marks the "opening of the political field" in Guatemala. The FDNG considers itself a force for peace and does not align itself with guerrilla movements, but Montenegro insists that the center-left cannot be divided at this critical time. As such, Montenegro acknowledges the distinct paths of both parties toward a common goal of economic and social justice.