Guatemala City, by Daniel Coromac -AGN- President Alejandro Giammattei welcomed a delegation of high-level U.S. Government officials at the Presidential Office.
Philip Gordon, National Security Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris, Isobel Coleman, Deputy Administrator for Policy and Programming, and Patrick Ventrell, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala, led the delegation.
President Giammattei was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mario Búcaro, and the Press Secretary of the Presidency, Kevin Oliva. They discussed security, migration, and the governmental transition process in Guatemala.
Transition Process
The Government emphasized that the transition process is moving successfully in its second stage. This phase, which is about to culminate, contemplates sector meetings in each of the ministries, ten secretariats prioritized by the elected authorities, and the Bank of Guatemala. Regarding these meetings, more than 25 have been held, and there have been 21 follow-up meetings to resolve doubts or for the development of specific topics. Indeed, a follow-up meeting was held today at the Ministry of the Interior.
Alternation of Power
President Alejandro Giammattei reaffirmed the Guatemalan Government’s commitment to the principle of alternation of power. Developing a systematic, orderly, and transparent transition process is crucial to this commitment. Moreover, this unprecedented process has been articulated since late 2022 with the support of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent 71 letters inviting heads of state and government, the accredited diplomatic corps in Guatemala, and high-ranking officials from other states for the transfer of power on January 14, 2024.
