Insecurity n Guatemala

David T. Johnson, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, gave a speech to the Council of the Americas earlier this month. 

In "Efforts To Combat Organized Crime in Guatemala" Johnson highlights several successful US-Guatemala joint efforts to tackle organized crime, including the Merida Initiative, the Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI), and some innovative community based projects such as the Villa Nueva Model Police Precinct. 

Fortunatly, Johnson recognizes that

there is no one solution to address Guatemala’s deteriorating security situation; the challenge is complex and multifaceted, and so our response must be targeted and thoughtful. Turning the tide will require collaboration with other donors, other governments, and the United Nations, as well as strong regional programs from South America to Mexico and, most important, good governance from the Guatemalans themselves. Only by coordinating efforts across all these diverse sources can we hope to achieve meaningful and lasting progress.

While perhaps not his area of expertise, Johnson unfortunately does not address any programs that have successfully helped to jump start the Guatemalan economy.  Instead, the focus is on entirely security.