Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart owns Pais, my local grocery store. It also owns Hiper-Pais, la Torre, la Bodega, Maxi Bodega, and la Despensa. It owns every single chain grocery store in this country. In my neighborhood, I have no choice but to shop Wal-Mart. Inside, I can buy Equate products and am cheerfully greeted by some Wal-Mart/Pais employee. Few Guatemalans appear concerned by the fact that their local grocery stores have sold their souls to Wal-Mart. This is so different from the people I know in the United States who find it a serious affront to their personal values to even look at a Wal-Mart. The horror super store with its bouncing smiling ball is a hit in Guatemala. Yet, the only way to identify that the stores are actually Wal-Mart stores is to look at the smiling badges the checkers wear. There is the familiar star and logo Wal-Mart. I’ve sold my soul for the convenience shopping in my neighborhood.

The only act of rebellion against the mega power that I've seen was a grafitti on the side of la Despensa in Xela. It read, “ No a Wal-Mart. No al imperialismo. No Wal-Mart. No imperialism.” Ironically, the next day the message had been painted over and the wall returned to its brainwashed state of no recognition.