Guatemala

Drought and other recent extreme weather events in Guatemala have increased the prices of beans, corn and other staple foods, making it harder for poor families to afford basic meals. Likewise, the minimum wage in the country is still not sufficient to cover the cost of basic goods and services despite President Alvaro Colom’s recent decree that raises the minimum wage, IPS News says. The news agency says the most affected areas are central, eastern and west-central provinces, which make up Guatemala’s so-called “dry corridor.”