Guatemalans struggled to survive year 2009. Their already precarious conditions on human development and governance became worse as a result of higher levels of violence, insecurity and impunity, together with an increase in organized crime, the effects of the international financial crisis and the impact of global warming. In May, a political crisis erupted because of an unusual event in which (mistakenly, as it was later clarified) President Colom and some of his close collaborators were involved, affected the stability of the government and the President’s credibility On the positive side stands out a state agreement for the advancement of security and justice, the enactment of the Law for the Nominating Commissions and a more transparent election of Supreme Court Magistrates. Also, social organizations in favor of justice and transparency were notoriously empowered, and an active performance of CICIG must be added.