Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo welcomed on Monday the new relationship forged with the United States, after years of “distrust and tensions” due to corruption in high spheres of the Central American country.
“The relationship between the United States and Guatemala […] is going through a very special moment,” declared the social-democratic leader at the opening of a meeting with the US Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, José W. Fernández.
“During the last few years, communication between our two nations […] was marked by distrust and tensions, at the origin of which lies the corrupt co-optation of public institutions in Guatemala,” said Arévalo, who won the 2023 elections with the promise of fighting corruption, one of the country’s ills.
Fernández heads the Washington delegation sent to the first High-Level Economic Dialogue with Guatemala, which is being held at the National Palace in the capital.
The forum seeks to promote foreign investment, development projects, job creation, the fight against corruption, and legal reforms to improve commercial and social conditions for “prosperity” in Guatemala, among other issues, as indicated.
In a press conference, Fernández avoided commenting on Washington’s relationship with the past government of right-wing President Alejandro Giammattei (2020-2024), but indicated that they see “great potential for collaboration” with Arévalo for his “commitment to democracy” and the fight against corruption.
“It is difficult for many companies to invest here” due to the “cancer” of corruption, the diplomat said. Next Monday, the Guatemalan president was invited to the White House to discuss migration with US Vice President Kamala Harris.
Arévalo succeeded Giammattei in power two months ago, who had clashes with the United States and accused them several times of “interference” for the sanctions imposed on Guatemalan officials pointed out for corruption or undermining democracy.
One of those sanctioned was Attorney General Consuelo Porras, who launched a judicial crusade against Arévalo in 2023 that cast doubt on the presidential transition. Giammattei was also sanctioned after leaving power and is now prohibited from entering the United States.
“This is a relationship forged in the struggle for democracy that the people of Guatemala have carried out since the 2023 elections,” said Arévalo, who thanked Washington for its support in the face of the attacks from the Attorney General’s Office.
The president is the son of former reformist President Juan José Arévalo (1945-1951), the driving force behind Guatemala’s so-called “democratic spring,” which was truncated in 1954 by a coup d’état sponsored by Washington against his successor, Jacobo Árbenz (1951-1954).
