Democracy Now! ran the following headline: “UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has warned the growing global food crisis has reached emergency proportions. Ban Ki-moon said the international community needs to take urgent action in order to avert a larger political and global security crisis. On Monday, President Bush ordered the release of $200 million in emergency food aid to help alleviate food shortages in developing countries. The World Bank estimates world food prices have risen 80 percent over the past three years and that at least thirty-three countries face social unrest as a result.”
In Guatemala, President Alvaro Colom made the following appeal to the nation in the face of rising oil and food prices:
According to Prensa Libre (6th April 2008):
De los 22 departamentos del país, 20 registran algún tipo de desnutrición. Alta Verapaz y San Marcos son los que tienen mayor número de comunidades en niveles variados de riesgo, 972 y 967, respectivamente, pero es Totonicapán el que tiene más comunidades en muy alto riesgo, y Momostenango es el municipio más afectado, con un total de 31, seguido de San Bartolo Aguas Calientes, con 28.”
Prensa Libre ran a story on 28th January reporting significant increases in cases of malnutrition in Guatemala.
Categories: Poverty
Guatemala Solidarity Network 
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