ABSTRACT
Resolution of Guatemala's internal conflict is crucial to the future of Central America. Guatemala is the region's wealthiest and most populous nation. Its economy boasts a disproportionate share of the region's limited industrial capacity, and its economic health is crucial to the area's entire trade structure. Situated along Mexico's southern frontier, Guatemala shares borders with Belize to the east and with Honduras and El Salvador to the south. In view of the importance of the region, it is curiously incongruent that policymakers concerned about the future of U.S. influence in Central America have not devoted greater attention to Guatemala.
