The President of the Government of Spain reaffirms Spain's commitment to democracy in Guatemala

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

The President of the Government of Spain 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 regard, he stressed that Spain has always played an active role in defending the rule of law in the country.

The meeting also served to confirm the excellent state of bilateral relations between the two countries in what is the 160th anniversary of their establishment. The president expressed his desire to continue to deepen them and to maintain Spain as the main European investor in Guatemala and with a greater presence at the business level.

They also discussed the efforts made during the Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU to relaunch EU-Latin American relations, which was reflected in the EU-CELAC Summit, and the importance of the Global Gateway programme of the European Commission, which committed a significant funding package for investment through support and cooperation programmes.

In this respect, the president highlighted the historical commitment of Spanish cooperation in Guatemala, which began in 1990 and has only grown. He therefore expressed his willingness to begin negotiating a new cooperation programme (2025-2028) that reflects the priorities of the new Guatemalan government in order to advance the country's development.

The meeting ended with the signing of the Joint Declaration in which they show their commitment to democracy and human rights, and in which the main priorities of the bilateral relationship are set out.

Non official translation