I’m constantly searching for more information on the registration process for in-process adoptions. This is what I have found to date.

The lawyer handling your adoption must complete the paperwork (a copy of which you can see here) and then submit it to the new Central Authority. In addition to details about the adoption case, these forms require the finger and footprints of the child to be adopted. Apparently a lot of the information on these forms relates to the Power of Attorney (POA) document. Perhaps this is an indication that the POA will be the requirement to be grandfathered in under the... more

Alvaro Colom will take over the reigns from Oscar Berger today and lead Guatemala for the next four years. An industrial engineer and one time vice minister of economy, he will hopefully be the president who creates a new political climate where the welfare of all the people will be of concern to the President, and not just the fortunate few.

The country needs a strong, but compassionate leader to bring them out of the years of corruption, poverty and crime. As his vice-president Dr. Rafael Espada (a world renowned cardio-thoracic surgeon) says: "Guatemala is sick, very sick, in intensive care."... more

With the future of intercountry adoptions from Guatemala in serious jeopardy, it seems that a new “rage” has hit Guatemala: surrogacy for Americans. Yes, there is a company that will find you a Guatemalan woman to carry and give birth to your child.

This is written on their website:

Here at Surrogacy & Fertility Law Center, our goal is to enable those who cannot afford infertility options such as surrogacy, in vitro fertilization (IVF), artificial insemination, ICSI,... more

Last year, the US deported over 16,890 Guatemalans working illegally in the US. Almost everyday a flight headed for Guatemala City filled with people whose dreams and hopes had been dashed. No, they hadn’t been running companies and building successful businesses, or finishing college and getting a great job; they had been working in kitchens, toiling in fields and contributing to the construction industry.

Apparently there are over 12,000,000 illegal immigrants... more

Today is the last day of 2007. This is the last day that adoptions in Guatemala will be processed under the old system. Tragically, this could be the last year of adoptions from Guatemala.

It has been a difficult year to be a blogger for Guatemala. I’ve had a difficult time remaining optimistic about the future of Guatemalan adoptions, and been busy defending adoptions from lies and inaccuracies spread by the media. I’ve also been made even more acutely aware of the corruption that was part of some adoptions, although I don’t believe the majority.

Thousands... more

Once in a while you come across a story that moves you right to the core; this is one of them.

The Baron Family of Washington State has three grown biological children and eleven adopted children. Five of the adopted children have disabilities. When you look at the photo (which I can’t post, but you can click the link to see), you see a mini-United Nations that is working well.

The adopted children range in age from nine to eighteen, and hail from Guatemala, Ethiopia... more

In Central America, gangs are a serious problem. Wherever they are found, violence, murder, extortion and intimidation are prevalent. In Guatemala, government forces and citizen vigilante groups are trying to crack down on these gangs, their members easily recognizable by their tattoos, baggy pants and tank tops. With over 100,000 gang members throughout Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua, enforcing strict anti-gang policies is becoming increasingly common.

Two... more

If you’re like me and go through Guatemalan related news everyday, you will find that most newspapers are just rehashing old information and giving titles they hope will draw attention. Take for example the Washington Post Article called “Guatemala Trying to Control Adoptions." There is absolutely nothing in this article that has not been said before by this newspaper.

In the Arkansas Democrat Gazette... more

Kudos to ABC on a decent report on the Guatemalan adoption quagmire. You can watch this video of the ABC news release in Wisconsin about two couples who are in the process of adopting from Guatemala right now.

Maybe I’m too optimistic, but it seems that the media is winding down from their “let’s slam Guatemalan adoptions” gig, and some are earnestly attempting to paint a more balanced picture.

I do at times have (brief) empathy for reporters who know very little about Guatemalan adoption... more

The new Vice President of Guatemala, Dr. Rafael Espada is considered to be one of the top ten Cardiothoracic Surgeons in the world. Born and raised in Guatemala, he received his doctorate degree at San Carlos University in Guatemala and went on to do his internship at Baylor College of Medicine, as well as training in some of the world’s best medical institutions.

Until recently, Espada practiced medicine in Houston, Texas, and taught Cardiothoracic Surgery at Baylor. But all the time he was living in the... more