Exactly 62 years ago Guatemala got an opportunity to change it's future: teachers, university students and workers stood up and changed the country's history. Guatemala went from a Military Autocracy to a Civil Democracy. It was the end of the Liberal Governments.

It wasn't easy to achieve, the military repression was unimaginable. But this people fought, because they believed in our country.

After democratic elections, with about 85% of the votes, Dr. Juan José Arévalo was elected President of the Guatemalan Republic. He was an intellectual, a very charismatic and smart man. Guatemala owes him the recognition of Civil Rights, the creation of labor unions, political parties, the Work Code, the Social Health Security System (which isn't great but it's still something), and so much more.

After Arévalo, came Jacobo Arberz, who had been involved in the revolution since the beginning and who's work and support had been fundamental to Arévalo's government.

Arbenz started working on an Agricultural Reform. That was the end of our 10- year-democratic spring.

This revolutionary governments had put at risk the interests of gigantic transnational companies such as the United Fruit Company, Shell, Exxon Corp, and many more; also, the interests of the national oligarchy. The way everything was organised, how everything was connected is incredible (See: Guatemala, Minería y Petróleo en las entrañas del poder, Luis Solano). The CIA deliberately intervened and Guatemala's chance was lost.

The rest is sad and I don't want to write about it because today is a day to celebrate!!!

This day should be remembered: October 20th 1944