The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
September 10, 2009

Guatemala Declares Hunger Emergency
-----------------------------------



Guatemala has declared a “state of public calamity” over what it calls a
dire hunger and nutritional crisis. In a national address, Guatemalan
President Alvaro Colom said Guatemala has suffered from climate change
and the global economic meltdown.

Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom: “On one side, the inherited problem
was worsened by the drought resulting from the climate change and those
of the global economic crisis. Actions carried out by the government
through pro-rural and cohesion social programs prevented the problem
reaching more serious consequences. The government will not get lost in
a discussion of technical issues. For us, one life has invaluable
importance and value.”

Guatemala has the world’s fourth highest rate of chronic malnutrition
and the highest in Latin America.



.