On Friday, June 6 at 11:00 a.m. ET/9:00 a.m. CST, the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, in partnership with the Foundation for the Development of Guatemala (FUNDESA), will host a conversation on the evolving US-Guatemala relationship, highlighting progress achieved through recent bilateral agreements and future opportunities to deepen economic and security collaboration.

The event, which comes on the heels of Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo’s trip to Taiwan and Japan, will include an opening conversation between US Ambassador to Guatemala Tobin Bradley and Guatemalan Ambassador to the US Hugo Beteta.

US-Guatemala engagement has gained renewed momentum in recent months. Outcomes from high-level meetings between both governments include the efforts to strengthen partnerships to address illegal migration, combat transnational crime, and modernize strategic infrastructure. On May 22, the countries signed a thirty-year agreement to modernize Puerto Quetzal, a key trade hub on Guatemala’s Pacific coast. The partnership, pledged during US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Guatemala in February, aims to double the port’s cargo capacity and enhance security and operational capabilities with support from the US Army Corps of Engineers.  

This conversation will take place at Atlantic Council headquarters and will be broadcast on YouTube, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn. It will be followed by a light lunch and networking. To join us in person or virtually, please complete the registration form.