GUATEMALA CITY 鈥� Guatemala's President Bernardo Ar茅valo said Wednesday he anticipates issues like immigration will generate tension with the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, but the former peacebuilder also sees shared interests.
At the start of the second year of his presidency, Ar茅valo said in an interview with The Associated Press that Guatemala is 鈥渙ne of the United States鈥� few trusted partners鈥� in the region.
For example, Ar茅valo pointed out that in the first year of his presidency, Guatemala seized more than double the amount of drugs compared to the previous year.
鈥淲e mustn鈥檛 assume that it will be a relationship that turns dramatic,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 believe the conditions exist to be optimistic about what we can become.鈥�
It鈥檚 indeed optimistic considering Trump has already threatened the United States鈥� largest trading partners with tariffs and promised mass deportations that could hit Guatemala particularly hard.
But Central America has been a challenge for the United States in recent years.
U.S. President Joe Biden鈥檚 administration saw Guatemala鈥檚 deep-rooted corruption as a major driver of emigration under Ar茅valo鈥檚 predecessor. Honduras President Xiomara Castro recently suggested there鈥檚 no longer justification for a significant U.S. military presence in her country. And Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega expresses his disgust with all things Yankee at every opportunity.
But during Trump鈥檚 first term, immigration dominated his administration鈥檚 relationships in the region. Human rights and corruption received little attention if countries were perceived to be working to decrease migrant flows to the U.S. border.
Trump鈥檚 team negotiated so-called 鈥渟afe third country鈥� agreements, including in Guatemala, as a way to keep asylum seekers from other nations from reaching the U.S. border during his first term.
鈥淲e believe that the 鈥榮afe third country鈥� configuration was absolutely inadequate and that the answer to the challenges that are coming now with the immigration issue must be considered regionally,鈥� Ar茅valo said. 鈥淲e are not a safe third country, nobody has proposed it.鈥�
He said Guatemala has other proposals on immigration that they are prepared to bring into negotiations with the U.S., but not until those talks begin.
READ MORE: Why Trump is returning to power while Bolsonaro faces prison
Regarding the mass deportations promised by Trump, Ar茅valo announced Tuesday a plan to receive Guatemalans and assist their reintegration into the country. However, mass deportations would be a major hit to Guatemala鈥檚 economy.
Remittances 鈥� the money migrants send back to Guatemala 鈥� account for about 20% of the country鈥檚 gross domestic product.
In preparation, Guatemala is increasing its U.S. consulates鈥� resources and developing a phone application that would share information with migrants about possible immigration enforcement raids and legal assistance.
On Wednesday, Ar茅valo also spoke with his Mexican counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum about the need for economic development along their shared border to generate employment for potential or returning migrants. Mexico is making similar preparations to receive deportees.
They also discussed the possibility of Mexican consulates in the U.S. assisting Guatemalans, though Ar茅valo said it was just an idea under consideration.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tragedy that men and women of all ages find it necessary to abandon their communities, their families, their homes, to try to make ends meet, because in (Guatemala) they don鈥檛 find work, development,鈥� Ar茅valo said.
High-level diplomats from across the region were scheduled to meet in Mexico Thursday and Friday to discuss ways to address immigration.
Want more stories about the Americas? Sign up for SA国际传谋鈥檚 Americas Report newsletter and we鈥檒l send a round up of the most important news and stories from the hemisphere, every Thursday.
