Around 29 percent of Guatemalans live in extreme poverty and 54.8 percent live in poverty. Many of these people survive on less than $2 a day. Rural populations account for the majority of the poor, most especially indigenous communities.

The gap between the rich and poor is significant here. The wealthiest 10 percent of the population earns one-half of all income, while the top 20 percent earns two-thirds of all all income.