“A Chasm of Values and Outlook”: The Carter Administration’s Human Rights Policy in Guatemala

Scholars have often depicted Jimmy Carter’s human rights policy as naïve and counterproductive. In doing so, many have pointed to Guatemala, where Carter’s policies seemed to alienate the military government without ending its abuses. Yet such critics have failed to acknowledge the obstacles Carter’s policy faced as well as its long‐term influence on U.S. policy and on Guatemala itself. Drawing upon recently declassified documents, this article explores the challenges the administration’s human rights advocates encountered in their attempt to implement Carter’s policies. In particular, it emphasizes the resistance of both the U.S. government bureaucracy and Guatemala’s military. But it also argues that, despite these difficulties, the Carter administration achieved a shift in U.S.‐Guatemalan relations. The legacy of Carter’s human rights policy limited Washington’s role in the counterinsurgency war and helped push Guatemala toward civilian rule and peace negotiations.