In a bid to strengthen border security and enhance regional safety, the United States government is extending its efforts into Central America, pressuring countries like Guatemala to bolster their own border defenses.
Recently, the Guatemalan army conducted a patrol along the Suchiate River, marking the western end of the Guatemala-Mexico border. This move is part of increased border operations that began earlier this year, according to Colonel Juan Ernesto Celis.
President Bernardo Arévalo has maintained that while migration is a fundamental right, it should be managed in a regulated manner.
The soldiers patrolling the area are on high alert for illegal activities, such as arms, drug, and human trafficking across Guatemala’s borders, often coordinating efforts with Mexican forces.
Ann Marie Argueta, the spokesperson for Guatemala’s defense department, emphasized that the military aims to combat crimes endangering the populace and prevent illegal incursions by international crime syndicates.
In a significant development during U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Guatemala in February, President Arévalo announced plans to create a new border security force. This force will also focus on the country’s borders with Honduras and El Salvador.
The border region has seen considerable turmoil, highlighted when nearly 600 Mexican citizens sought refuge in Guatemala due to cartel conflicts in their communities last July. The violent rivalry between Mexico’s dominant cartels, originating from Sinaloa and Jalisco, continues over control of smuggling routes in southern Mexico.
