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), hosted 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 came on the heels of Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo’s trip to Taiwan and Japan, included an opening conversation with 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 took place at Atlantic Council headquarters and was broadcasted on YouTube, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Speakers

Adrienne Arsht
Executive Vice Chair; Founder, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center
Atlantic Council

H.E. Hugo Beteta
Ambassador to the United States
Republic of Guatemala

Amb. Capricia Marshall
Ambassador-in-Residence; Vice Chair, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center Advisory Council
Atlantic Council

Christina Sharkey
Acting Executive Director for the Western Hemisphere
International Trade Administration

José Fernando Suriano
Viceminister of Transportation
Republic of Guatemala

Jessica Bedoya
Founder and Managing Partner
LARA Fund

Charles Bland
President
Guatemalan Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations

Jason Marczak
Vice President and Senior Director, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center
Atlantic Council

Gabriela Roca
Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director
Grupo AG;
Vice President
Foundation for the Development of Guatemala

Agenda

11:00–11:05 a.m. | Opening remarks

 

Adrienne Arsht
Executive Vice Chair; Founder, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center
Atlantic Council

11:05–11:25 a.m. | A keynote conversation on the state of US-Guatemala bilateral ties

Speakers

H.E. Hugo Beteta
Ambassador to the United States
Republic of Guatemala

Moderated by

Amb. Capricia Marshall
Ambassador-in-Residence; Vice Chair, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center Advisory Council
Atlantic Council

11:25–11:55 a.m. | Panel conversation: Assessing US-Guatemala economic cooperation

Speakers

Christina Sharkey
Acting Executive Director for the Western Hemisphere
International Trade Administration

José Fernando Suriano
Viceminister of Transportation
Republic of Guatemala

Jessica Bedoya
Founder and Managing Partner
LARA Fund

Charles Bland
President
Guatemalan Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations

Moderated by

Jason Marczak
Vice President and Senior Director, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center Advisory Council
Atlantic Council

11:55–12:00 p.m. | Closing remarks

Gabriela Roca
Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director
Grupo AG;
Vice President,
Foundation for the Development of Guatemala

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