Programs

Dicing with Death: Guatemala: Land of the Maya

In this acclaimed series, we journey on some of the world’s most dangerous routes and explore the lengths people go to in order to change their destinies.

Guatemala, a small country in Central America, is one of the most violent states in the world. There were nearly 4,000 murders in 2018; amurder rate 20 times higher than France per head of population. Behind this slaughter are street gangs, known as Maras, who manage drug trafficking, prostitution and racketeering and spread terror among the population. The members shoot their rivals, or ordinary citizens who go against them, without hesitation.

After several weeks of negotiation, we were able to get an insider’s view of some of these gangs. We spoke to members like Pedro, who heads one of Guatemala’s most powerful Maras. They say that Pedro stopped counting his homicide victims after the eighteenth. We also meet Oscar, who has one of the most dangerous professions in the country: a bus driver. 250 drivers were shot by Maras killers last year, as a means to extort transport companies. Having been shot eleven times already; Oscar cannot do his daily job without constantly checking his mirrors. He isn’t just looking for bicycles. Faced with this crime and the powerlessness of the underequipped police force, some residents have chosen to organize themselves into a citizen’s militia, patrolling the streets at night equipped with guns, swords or baseball bats. But it is a risky undertaking; five of them have already lost their lives.

Full Series

PRODUCTION INFO

  • Year: 2018
  • Duration: 52 mins
  • Production: TONY COMITI PRODUCTIONS
  • Director: ALEXANDRE SPALAIKOVITCH & GUILLAUME LHOTELLIER
  • Available Versions: ENG, FRA
  • Country of production: France

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