The Institute of Political Studies and International Relations at Francisco Marroquín University has introduced a new documentary series titled "El enfrentamiento armado interno en Guatemala." The initiative is part of an educational project designed to help students and educators understand the internal armed conflict that shaped contemporary Guatemala.
The series is based on research by Rodrigo Fernández Ordóñez, as published in his book "Anatomía del enfrentamiento armado interno: Orígenes de la Guatemala contemporánea." Alongside Fernández Ordóñez, a group of university professors have developed teaching materials intended for use at various educational levels. These resources aim to foster dialogue and meaningful learning about the conflict's history.
On September 18, 2025, the documentary was presented at the Milton Friedman Auditorium. Santiago Fernández Ordóñez, director of the institute, explained: "The documentary series is the final stage of a project that has taken us three years. The idea is to solve a problem that parents and teachers face: how to teach about the internal armed conflict and explain it in a neutral, academic, and objective way? That’s why the project not only presents thirty lessons on related topics but also includes teaching guides with themes, questions, evaluations, character guides, glossaries, photographs, the nine episodes of the documentary, and more."
Rodrigo Fernández Ordóñez added: "This is a joint effort between witnesses and academic experts to counteract the partiality in memories from those involved. The goal of the educational project is to get as close as possible to an objective view of what happened, how it happened, and who was affected. In this series we combine protagonists, professors, academics, and researchers."
He further described his approach to interviews: "Another characteristic of the interviews is that initially they were conversations between me and the interviewee; but later I preferred to let them speak so they would feel comfortable and tell what they wanted. I tried to intervene as little as possible so as not to direct content or generate information. This way researchers can learn about ambushes—how they were experienced by army officers—how guerrilla camps were organized—how radicalization was lived at San Carlos University—and how it was experienced in the Catholic Church."
Fernández Ordóñez concluded: "It’s important for students to know what happened and how it continues to affect them today. Often one doesn’t realize in daily life how much weight the past carries. It’s a backpack you always carry that influences how you see life and make certain decisions. The goal of both the series and book is to understand our country—not perfect—but ours and one we love."
After partial screenings—including interviews with one founder of Rebel Armed Forces and several army officers—the audience participated in a question session followed by a reception on UFM’s Rose Friedman Terrace.
This educational initiative aims to provide tools for open discussion about Guatemala's recent history within classrooms.
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