Guatemalan President Makes Unofficial Visit

In an unofficial visit to Harvard, president Alvaro Arzu Irigoyen of the Republic of Guatemala met with University Marshal Richard M. Haunt and members of the Faculty and student body yesterday at the open invitation of two Harvard international centers.

The blue and white flag of Guatemala flying over University Hall marked the second visit to Harvard this year of a foreign leader from a country charged with significant human rights violations. Chinese President Jiang Zemin spoke at Sanders Theatre last October, provoking a series of protests from the Harvard community.

Throughout Guatemala's 35-year civil war that came to an end in 1996, the United States accused both the government and the opposing, leftist guerilla factions of flagrant human rights violations.

But many credit Azru with bringing an end to the strife and attempting to forge a path for democracy in the Central American nation. After his election to the presidency in January 1996, Arzu continued negotiations with the Marxist guerrillas and led the way to a peace agreement in September 1996.

"He's a very interesting man," Hunt said. "He played a major role in recovering democracy in the country."

For a half hour yesterday morning in the comfortable setting of Hunt's Wadsworth House office, Hunt and Azru discussed Harvard's Latin American programs, concluding, Haunt said, with his plug for more Guatemalan students to apply to the University.

"He said he would be willing to urge students to apply, so we got a little business done," Hunt added. "I led him to understand that we would welcome men and women from his country."

Currently, there are only four Guatemalan students at the University, Hunt said.

Azru then entered into a informal round-table discussion about Guatemala with faculty and graduate students at the Faculty Club, according to Hunt. The nature of the discussions is confidential.

Azru was in the United States on a "personal visit," according to Ricardo Viteri, press attache at the Guatemalan embassy. Amina Tirana, manager of the Central America project at the Harvard Institute for International Development, said he "was in the U.S. for multiple purposes" but not on a state visit.

Hunt said Azru had never before visited theHarvard campus. He came on the joint invitation ofthe Central American Project and the DavidRockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.

The professors and students involved in theCentral America Project have been studyingGuatemala's civil war and offering advice aboutthe country's recent experiment with democracy.

"The Central American Project is a three-yearpolicy advising project about economic integrationand sustainable development in Central America,"Tirana said.

Many students and members of the Facultypraised Azru's push toward democracy.

Jennifer G. Schirmer, a lecturer in SocialStudies and an associate of programs onnon-violent sanctions and cultural survival at theWeatherhead Center for International Affairs, hasworked in Guatemala interviewing militaryofficials about the war and their evaluations onthe success of attempts to convert country todemocracy.

"I think he's been important in over-seeing aprocess begun before his presidency by making adifference in seeing that the peace accords werefollowed through by both sides." she said, afterattending the discussion.

Pedro A. Pimentel '99, who served on the boardof a group that has organized conferences inCentral America, said, "Guatemala does have a veryspotty human rights record, but Azru has done alot to forward the peace process. It shouldn't bereflected on him.

Hunt said Azru had never before visited theHarvard campus. He came on the joint invitation ofthe Central American Project and the DavidRockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.

The professors and students involved in theCentral America Project have been studyingGuatemala's civil war and offering advice aboutthe country's recent experiment with democracy.

"The Central American Project is a three-yearpolicy advising project about economic integrationand sustainable development in Central America,"Tirana said.

Many students and members of the Facultypraised Azru's push toward democracy.

Jennifer G. Schirmer, a lecturer in SocialStudies and an associate of programs onnon-violent sanctions and cultural survival at theWeatherhead Center for International Affairs, hasworked in Guatemala interviewing militaryofficials about the war and their evaluations onthe success of attempts to convert country todemocracy.

"I think he's been important in over-seeing aprocess begun before his presidency by making adifference in seeing that the peace accords werefollowed through by both sides." she said, afterattending the discussion.

Pedro A. Pimentel '99, who served on the boardof a group that has organized conferences inCentral America, said, "Guatemala does have a veryspotty human rights record, but Azru has done alot to forward the peace process. It shouldn't bereflected on him.