The following is a Business Development Update by Hugo Villela, Regional Development Executive, Central America

Hello colleagues… Here are some thoughts coming from my latest experience in Guatemala, a trip from 9th to 12th June, 2009. This trip was not to look for new customers… it was to look after our customer service, as one customer has struggled with contracts and management of pre-finance recently.

Guatemala is a country where most of the people are descendent from Maya cultures. They have a central left president, more concerned with social development, but with a scandal of accusations for the assassination of a journalist who was involved in the research of a corruption default from Banrural (a local bank) and Anacafe (The Guatemalan Coffee Association). Most of the population chose this president expecting more respect for human rights, which were constantly violated in the preceding years from the army and paramilitary groups. A feeling of deception is in the air everywhere.

The trip to Guatemala was to San Pedro Nectar, a town in Huehuetenango near the Mexican border. Three weeks before my visit, 17 local drug smugglers were executed by Mexican cartels (other drug smugglers from Mexico). How to describe the context? …Huehuetenango is one of the 10 best coffee origins in the world, where coffee is mainly grown by small indigenous farmers. The local people don´t have a culture of drinking good coffee, they drink instant coffee, which was very bad for me, expecting a good coffee from this region!

The landscape is wonderful, green mountains in this season, deep canyons with white-water rivers, indigenous people walking along the roads, wearing traditional clothes and kids everywhere. The journey from Guatemala City (the capital) to San Pedro Nectar took seven hours. That meant I had to take a plane the day before, so that I could travel during the day, because in Guatemala personal security needs to be taken seriously and you can´t drive in the night. When I asked to rent a car, the rental company asked where I planned to go, and I said to Huehuetenango. The people who worked there told me that I should not travel alone. I took some precautions because the financial manager from Asociacion Chajulense (a customer) travelled with me, so that I didn´t look like a tourist asking “where is San Pedro Necta?”

On one hand the most recommendable option would be to take a 4X4, but on the other hand the people in the rent a car store asked me to rent a Sedan…so I don´t call the attention of bad guys. It is interesting how people give you advice, and that you need to keep your attitude ready to take on board what the common sense for people living there will be. Sometimes that is different than our own common sense from where we come.
This travel was like a sentimental rollercoaster, because when you see the needs of the producers and the poverty of their region you understand the relevance of our facility with them.

I have to recognize the support of Asociacion Chajulense to our Huehuetenango trip. I couldn´t have done this trip without their support. Special thanks to Freddy.

That was my experience… after long drives… and a flat tyre we were back to Guatemala City. I hope from this trip everything will now be sorted out for our customer in Guatemala…

Best regards and until next time!

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