United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA)

On 18 August 1994, the General Assembly authorised the creation of the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) which would initially be established for a period of six months and would include a military advisor with the rank of colonel, a police advisor, ten military observers and seventy civilian police officers.

Deployment was carried out between October and December of the same year in eight regional offices and five delegations covering the entire Guatemalan territory.

As in previous missions in Central America, Spain played a crucial role. Its participation included a military advisor, five military observers, a police advisor and fourteen civil guards, as well as a sizeable representation in other parts of the mission.

It is foreseen that once a peace agreement is reached between the Guatemalan government and Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG), a wider operation will be authorised to include a general ceasefire, demobilisation, disarmament and national reconciliation.

Prompted by a request by the five Central American presidents, who were trying to achieve peace in the region, the UN Security Council issued Resolution 644 on 2 December 1989. Its aim was to set up the United Nations Group of Observers for Central America (ONUCA), whose first commander was a Spanish Major General.