The United States donated military equipment and spare parts for vehicles, boats, and aircraft to the Guatemalan Army on Wednesday, valued at nearly $13 million, during a visit by General Laura Richardson, head of the Southern Command. This donation is part of a larger US aid package, totaling $24 million, aimed at supporting the government of President Bernardo Arévalo, Washington’s main ally in Central America.
“Of course, the United States is always in support of security efforts in Guatemala,” Richardson said through a translator, as she symbolically handed over the donation during a ceremony at the Ministry of Defense. The donation includes radio communication equipment, bulletproof vests, helmets, and spare parts for aircraft, boats, and armed vehicles, among other materials. It also includes a patrol boat delivered earlier in October to strengthen anti-drug operations in the Pacific waters.
Richardson, who received a decoration from Guatemala’s Armed Forces for her “distinguished service,” added that the donated equipment and meetings between the two armies are “important… to be ready for any type of threat.” For his part, Guatemala’s Minister of Defense, General Henry Saenz, said in a press conference that the received equipment “will facilitate national security efforts” and will be used for “anti-narcotic combat, humanitarian aid, and [surveillance] operations along the borders.”
The head of the Southern Command arrived in Guatemala on Tuesday night, and before leaving the country on Wednesday, she met with President Arévalo at the National Palace to discuss security and defense. “The United States is committed to working with our Guatemalan partners to combat transnational criminal organizations and strengthen regional security,” the Southern Command said on the social media platform X after the meeting.
Since the social democrat Arévalo took office in January, Guatemala has become the United States’ primary ally in the Central American region, easing tensions that existed during the presidency of right-wing Alejandro Giammattei (2020-2024).
