Posted on 09/09/2009 9:04:04 AM PDT by rrstar96
(English-language translation)
Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom declared a state of "public calamity" as a measure to face the food and nutrition crisis that affects 54,000 families and has claimed the lives of some 25 children.
The declaration will allow the Guatemalan government to accept international aid for these cases and to mobilize resources from the national budget more promptly, according to the president's official address to the nation.
"I have decided to use the public-order law and declare a state of public calamity throughout the entire national territory, since the consequences of food and nutritional insufficiency will affect not only the departments in the Dry Corridor, but also the country as a whole," Colom said.
In the Dry Corridor, which includes seven provinces, malnutrition cases have increased due to drought and the economic crisis.
According to the Guatemalan authorities, some 54,000 families suffer the consequences of hunger, and it is feared an additional 400,000 may be affected before the end of the year.
According to the AFP news agency, a study from the Food Health Secretariat released on August 16 "indicated that the number of communities at risk for famine increased by 113% in the last three months due to the drought." According to the same agency, 462 people died from this cause between January and July of this year.
For its part, the World Food Program began on Tuesday to distribute 20 tons of nutritious crackers at the 164 communities in the most affected areas.
In case people in Puerto Rico complain about not receiving enough in cupones.
In that area food is very plentiful and there is more than ample acreage for producing more crops. The trouble is that they know the US will feed their lazy asses for free and that is the end goal. Just like Detroit, Gary IN, Wash DC and other places.
Maybe utopia’s Cuba and Venezuela can supply them with food?
Oh thats right, Venezuela used to be self-sufficient before they got dictators
I absolutely cannot stay abreast of who runs which country south of the Mexisan border.
Please inform me/us of which side of democracy is running this country.
Not interested in supporting any country which elects a Hugo Chavez kind of person.
Guatemala is a U.S. ally.
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