PRESS COMMUNIQUE: Guatemala 2nd Bilateral Consultations with the EU take place in Brussels

The European Union (EU) and Guatemala held their second bilateral consultations in Brussels on 10 June 2026.

The meeting took place in an open and constructive atmosphere, allowing both sides to take stock of progress in EU-Guatemala relations since the signature of the EU-Guatemala Memorandum of Understanding and the first Bilateral Consultations held in 2024 in Guatemala City. Discussions covered bilateral relations, cooperation in multilateral fora, regional issues and opportunities for sustainable investment. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties.

The consultations came at a time of enhanced high-level engagement between the EU and Guatemala. The visit of the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, to Guatemala, on 20 May marked a milestone in the relationship. The President of the European Council reaffirmed the EU’s support for Guatemala’s democratic consolidation. On 3 June, the Foreign Minister of Guatemala, Carlos Ramiro Martínez, met with the EU’s High Representative and Vice President, Kaja Kallas, and reiterated the request of Guatemala's Electoral Tribunal for an electoral observation mission for the 2027 general elections in Guatemala.

The EU and Guatemala exchanged views on the outcome of the renewal process of electoral and judicial authorities, which took place in the first semester of 2026, and which had been accompanied by an ad hoc monitoring team of EU experts. Furthermore, and building on its well-established position against the instrumentalisation of justice system in Guatemala to target independent judicial actors, human rights defenders, and political opponents, the EU reaffirmed its commitment to continue supporting Guatemala’s efforts to strengthen and protect democracy and respect for the rule of law.

The EU and Guatemala also discussed possibilities to enhance cooperation in the fight against transnational organised crime, in particular drug trafficking, which undermines the security and well-being of both Guatemalan and European citizens. In line with the recent EU Strategy on Drugs, EU-Latin America cooperation was recognised as essential to effectively address organised crime.

The EU and Guatemala reaffirmed, in a spirit of partnership and shared responsibility, the importance of protecting and strengthening civic space – including indigenous people - as a key element of democratic and sustainable economic development. Both parties underscored their commitment to inclusive public policy dialogue and to transparent, predictable legal frameworks that foster trust among investors and civil society alike.

Both sides welcomed the concrete results of the commercial pilar of the EU-Central America Association Agreement: trade flows between Guatemala and the EU have more than doubled and the inversions tripled since the entry into force of the trade pillar of the EU-Central America Association Agreement in 2013. Trade flows span agricultural and industrial goods as well as services. The parties agreed that the Agreement still offers significant scope for further enhancement.

On investments under the Global Gateway, the parties agreed to foster collaboration on energy, circular economy, transport and digital connectivity. Amongst the priorities there is the expansion of the Central America Electricity Market,  the recovery of the Motagua River, a critical resource for local livelihoods. In the biodiversity-rich Petén region and the Mayan jungle, the EU and Team Europe is promoting green transition, proving that economic growth and environmental protection can—and must—go hand in hand.

Both parties reiterated their commitment to strengthening EU–Central America relations, following the first EU–Central America Association Council held in Brussels in 2025. They underlined the importance of ensuring that the dialogue cycle delivers tangible results for citizens in both regions. The EU and Guatemala also recalled the importance to follow-up on the commitments agreed during the last CELAC-EU Summit (November 2025, Colombia) including the Alliance for Citizen Security and the Pact on Care.

Guatemala recognized the valuable support provided by the European Union to the Office of the Organization of American States in the Adjacency Zone between Guatemala and Belize. Its sustained cooperation over more than two decades has contributed significantly to preserving peace and strengthening confidence between the two countries.

The EU and Guatemala underscored the importance to continue supporting the political, economic, and social stability of Haiti, with the backing of the international community. We discussed the recent developments in the Middle East and its ripple effects around the world. We believe that diplomacy is the only path towards lasting peace and stability in the Middle East. The EU and Guatemala will continue to support all efforts towards de-escalation.

Both parties expressed their deep concern regarding Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, which continues to cause immense human suffering, and called for a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace, in full respect of the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, including the peaceful settlement of disputes and the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The consultations were co-chaired by the Director for the Americas of the European External Action Service, Pelayo Castro, and by the Guatemala’s Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mónica Bolaños. Both parties agreed to continue regular exchanges in Brussels, Guatemala City and relevant multilateral fora, and to hold the third round of Bilateral Consultations in Guatemala.