ABSTRACT
In Guatemala, militarism and authoritarianism coincided with 36 years of civil war. Authoritarian structures served as the instruments for the maintenance of social and political control. The military, with the support and involvement of the dominant economic elites, led the state, and were responsible for prolonged and extreme cases of human rights violations. The Guatemalan military regime that ruled the country from 1954 to 1982 was among the most brutal and repressive in Latin America. 1
