Eduardo González
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the President of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo de León, signed a Joint Declaration yesterday in Madrid in which they show their “firm support for the democratic system and the rule of law”, agree on “the importance of strengthening democratic institutions in Guatemala” and recall “the support of Spain and the international community” for “democracy in the country and the stability of Guatemalan institutions.”
Sánchez received Arévalo at the Moncloa Complex within the framework of the Guatemalan president’s first tour of Europe since he took office on January 14 and coinciding with the 160th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries.
During the meeting, as reported by Moncloa, the President of the Government reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to democracy, the rule of law and human rights in Guatemala and reiterated his “firm rejection of the constant and unjustified judicial interference.” In this sense, he recalled that Spain has always maintained an active role in defending the rule of law in the country.
Last December, the Spanish Government expressed its support for Arévalo after the actions of the Public Ministry of Guatemala to prevent his arrival to the Presidency, considering that they attacked “against democracy” and represented “a serious violation of the will of the people.” Guatemalan language freely expressed at the polls”, which is why he demanded that “all Guatemalan institutions respect the results of the polls and guarantee the peaceful transfer of power.”
The meeting ended with the signing of a Joint Declaration, in which both leaders showed their “firm support for the democratic system and the rule of law”, agreed on “the importance of strengthening democratic institutions in Guatemala” and recalled, in this sense, “the support of Spain and the international community, who showed their firm commitment and support towards respect for democracy in the country, as well as the continuation of the stability of Guatemalan institutions.”
The Declaration also highlights the “common objective” of achieving gender equality and “the eradication of all forms of gender violence”, values “the role that indigenous peoples have in the defense and construction of democracy” and in “ “the defense of the environment”, expresses the interest of both presidents “in continuing to strengthen the ties of cooperation by holding a meeting of the Joint Technical Cooperation Commission between both countries, to adopt a new Country Association Framework (MAP) Spain -Guatemala for the period 2025-2028”, and highlights the importance of promoting cultural cooperation to “promote sustainable development and heritage preservation”.
Likewise, the two leaders express their “conviction that the Agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the Republic of Guatemala regarding the regulation and management of labor migratory flows, signed in January 2023, will favor orderly, regular and safe migration, in benefit of both countries.” In this sense, they welcome “the launch of the first program to hire 250 Guatemalan workers for the collection of red fruits in Spain.”
Precisely, on February 14, the Council of Ministers sent the aforementioned agreement on labor migratory flows to the Parliament, while authorizing the expression of Spain’s consent to be bound by said agreement.
Meeting with the King
After his meeting with Sánchez, Arévalo was received in audience by King Felipe VI at the La Zarzuela Palace. This meeting was attended by José María Laviña, ambassador of Spain from Guatemala; Susana Sumelzo, Secretary of State for Ibero-America and the Caribbean and Spanish in the World; Carlos Ramiro, Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Gabriela García, Minister of Economy of the Central American country.
Subsequently, the King and Queen offered a lunch at the Royal Palace of Madrid in honor of the President of Guatemala and the First Lady, Lucrecia Eugenia Peinado Villanueva, which was attended by Pedro Sánchez, the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, and the Minister of Economy, Commerce and Business, Carlos Body, as well as representatives of other institutions and personalities related to the country.
On the eve of the inauguration of the Guatemalan president, which took place in mid-January, Felipe VI conveyed to Arévalo Spain’s commitment to maintaining and strengthening its cooperation with Guatemala. Finally, the inauguration suffered a significant delay due to the attempts of several parliamentarians to paralyze the process until the last moment, which forced the Monarch (like other invited leaders) to return to Spain without being able to attend the ceremony.
Arévalo will participate today in the Spain-Guatemala Business Meeting, organized in Madrid by the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), the Secretary of State for Commerce and the Chamber of Commerce of Spain, in collaboration with the Embassy of Guatemala in Spain. The meeting will be aimed at Spanish companies with interests or presence in Guatemala and will address existing investment opportunities in key sectors of the Guatemalan economy, such as pharmaceuticals, food, electronic devices, textiles, chemical infrastructure and agri-food, among others.
