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Abstract: This case offers an unusual window into the little-known inner politics of an army with significant control over a civilian government. Its description of the recent political history of Guatemala, with specific focus on the response of the central government to a long-running guerrilla war, is based on the recollections of a key military leader, General Hector Gramajo--a career officer who sees himself as one committed to the establishment of democratic governance but who has been viewed elsewhere as a violator of human rights.
Learning Objective: The case includes vivid descriptions of the manner in which key officers planned coup attempts and why they did so. It describes the political dynamics which arise in such situations. Finally, the case serves as a primer on the political, economic and ethnic history of the troubled Central American country in which it is set.