U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, engaged in discussions on Saturday with the recently elected Guatemalan President, Bernardo Arévalo, focusing on regional migration, security, and the economy within Central America.
The meeting, held at the Munich Security Conference, follows closely on the heels of the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voting to impeach Mayorkas due to the administration’s management of migrants at the U.S. southern border.
Expressing the significance of Guatemala as a strategic partner, Mayorkas stated in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), “Guatemala is a key partner of ours in regional economic development, managing hemispheric migration, combatting transnational crime, and much more.”
The United States has been urging its allies in Latin America, including Guatemala, to implement measures to impede northward migration while also addressing the underlying causes of migration from countries such as Guatemala, which witnesses hundreds of thousands of its citizens migrating to the U.S. annually.
Despite a notable decline in arrests by the U.S. Border Patrol in January, dropping by 50% from a record-breaking 249,735 in December, immigration remains a paramount concern for the Biden administration and voters leading up to the 2024 election.
Both Mayorkas and Arévalo reiterated their commitment to collaborative efforts in addressing regional issues within the Americas. Arévalo affirmed in a post on social media, “Together we will work for the security and well-being of the region.”
The meeting also coincides with a challenging period for the progressive anti-corruption advocate, President Arévalo. He has posed a significant challenge to Guatemala’s entrenched elite, who have historically benefited from widespread corruption and impunity in the country, factors which the Biden administration has identified as contributing to migration.
Arévalo and his Seed Party Movement have faced numerous legal challenges during his election campaign and subsequent tenure, prompting concerns about democracy across the region. In response, the Biden administration has imposed sanctions on several officials accused of undermining Guatemala’s peaceful transition of power.
Mayorkas emphasized the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting Guatemala’s democracy and collaborating to enhance security and prosperity within the Americas.
