Spanish immigration to Guatemala

Although the Spanish conquest of Guatemala was primarily the result of its technical superiority, the Spaniards were helped by Nahua allies from central Mexico, and by indigenous Maya who were already involved in bitter struggles between rival kingdoms.

Despite being greatly outnumbered by the Maya - historians estimate that only a few thousand Spaniards settled in Guatemala before independence - the latter were able to impose their colonial system through a reign of terror.

In 1663, King Philip IV of Spain tried to abolish slavery in the colonies, but the criollos (those of Spanish origin born in Guatemala), fought fervently to ensure that forced labor continued to practice until the early 20th century.

However, when legislation to safeguard these lands was abolished in the 19th century, the criollos (from Spain, Germany and Switzerland) and Ladino soon came and established plantations producing export crops, turning the rural population into a mass of unemployed migrant farm workers.

After a period of political instability exacerbated by the collapse of the world market for indigo, main exporter in the region of Europe, each province seceded from the federation, starting with Costa Rica.