1. Mexico-Guatemala Water Issues CE 397 Transboundary Water Resources November 6, 2003 Source: http://www.ddbstock.com/usumcint.html

2. I would rather participate in the world, feel the challenge of the world, struggle with the others, struggle with what denies me, struggle with the alien, than close myself in and be amazed to death and die of absolute astonishment like the Aztecs did. Carlos Fuentes

3. Geographic Description http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/americas

4. Grijalva-Usumacinta basin (source of map: /http://maps.ciesin.org/ramsar/ramsar_na/viewer.htm. Basin highlighted delineation by author)

5. Socio-economic Geography  Hydropower development  Deforestation  Oil Exploitation  Arqueological Richness  Poverty and Marginalization

6. Development Plans  Public: –Puebla-Panama Plan  Private: –Mexico Third Millennium National Project  Example of a specific dam –Boca del Cerro Dam

7. Flooding of Arqueological Sites http://www.ciepac.org/images/maps/usumasriomg.jpg

8. Main Historic Border Issues between Mexico and Guatemala  1823: Central American Independence from Mexico.  1882: Border precise location treaty.  1961: CILA (IBWC) was established.  1979/80: Planning was established.  1988: Environmental agreement.  1990: Agreement for carrying out projects to develop the hydroelectric capacity of the border region rivers.  2002: Mexico and Central America gave their approval to the Puebla-Panama Plan.

9. Questions for and Topics Discussion … 1. Do you think that the Mexico-Guatemala Water Issues are different from the US- Mexico Water Issues? 2. There is a political interest to solve the development issues along the Guatemala- Mexico border but the problems are too complex. Do you believe that the help of multilateral organizations will be needed? 3. Should socio-cultural issues be taken into account at solving the Mexico-Central America development issues?

10. … Questions for and Topics Discussion  Today dams enjoy a very bad reputation. Do you think that always a dam proposal must be distrusted, especially in a tropical forest basin like the Usumacinta River basin?  The building of a new “civilization” frequently results in the destruction of the remains of older civilizations. Should be protected, at any cost, the Mayan arqueological sites?

11. A Sunset at the margin of the Usumacinta River A Sunset at the margin of the Usumacinta River http://www.raingod.com/angus/Gallery/Photos/NorthAmerica/Mexico/Chiapas/images/UsumacintaSunset03.jpg