Spanish Embassy Occupation in Guatemala (Attack, Burning and Massacre): Consequences and Bilateral Relations Three Decades Later

Abstract

In January 1980, the Spanish embassy in Guatemala was occupied by a group of Mayan peasants, who demanded the cease of repression and massacres. These terrible facts took place mainly in the Guatemalan plateau and the principal actors were members of the armed forces. Afterwards, and in the context of a really hard armed conflict suffered by the whole country, Guatemalan police took the embassy violently, with a terrible massacre as a result. The consequences are already controversial nowadays. In any case, the International Community began to sensitize on the severe events suffered by Mayans in that country. Bilateral relations between both countries were seriously affected because of this diplomatic crisis. The processes due to this situation, and often media-influenced, are still cold cases. Impunity keeps on being a reality and daily violence has replaced the hardness of the extinguish conflict.