CHAPTER 9 TRANSNATIONALISM AND THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF MESOAMERICA 367who used to migrate to the coastal plantations to remain in their villages, as is the case
of the people in many Mayan communities of Guatemala.
Cooperatives have been created in Mexico and Guatemala for the purpose of co-
ordinating and managing the export of crafts (Figure 9.4). The Mexican govern-
ment has sponsored cooperatives for the purchase of raw materials and the sale of
artisan products. Participation in many of these cooperatives has significantly im-
proved the standard of living of many Mesoamerican natives. Women’s cooperatives
in Guatemala, for example, provide some women—many widowed by the political vi-
olence of recent years—with greater skills to commercialize their products, even
though their dependence on foreign markets may at some point prove dangerous
(see the cases described in Chapter 12 on gender). Competition with other Third
World countries may put some of the workers out of business, and it is increasingly
likely that a factory worker in Asia may be producing industrial versions of hand-
made native designs. Also, in the context of the tourist business and exports of arti-
san products, native peoples have become increasingly aware of many unjust
situations. (See Box 9.5 for a discussion of how Mayas participate in international
Figure 9.4 Making
necklaces for export to the
United States. This woman
is a member of the UPAVIM
Cooperative in Guatemala,
which makes handicrafts for
the export market.
Photograph provided by the
authors.