Guatemala–Mexico relations

Guatemala-Mexico relations

Guatemala
Mexico

Guatemala-Mexico relations refers to the historical and current bilateral relationship between Guatemala and Mexico. Both nations are members of the Association of Caribbean States, Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Organization of American States, Organization of Ibero-American States and the United Nations.

Country comparison

Guatemala Republic of Guatemala Mexico United Mexican States
Coat of Arms
Flag Guatemala Mexico
Population 16,176,133 123,518,000
Area 108,889 km2 (42,042 sq mi) 1,972,550 km2 (761,610 sq mi)
Population Density 129/km2 (330/sq mi) 61/km2 (160/sq mi)
Capital Guatemala City Mexico City
Largest City Guatemala City – 2,110,100 (4,500,000 Metro) Mexico City – 8,918,653 (20,400,000 Metro)
Government Unitary presidential constitutional republic Federal presidential constitutional republic
Current Leaders Jimmy Morales Enrique Peña Nieto
Official languages Spanish Spanish
GDP (nominal) US$68.389 billion ($4,101 per capita) US$1.283 trillion ($10,174 per capita)

History

Map from 1732 showing both Guatemala and Mexico as New Spain

Guatemala and Mexico are two neighboring countries who share a common cultural history from the Maya civilization and both nations were colonized by the Spanish empire. In 1821, Mexico gained independence from Spain and administered Guatemala (and most of Central America) during the First Mexican Empire. In 1823, the empire collapsed and Guatemala joined the United Provinces of Central America, however, the Guatemalan region of Chiapas choose to separate from Guatemala and joined Mexico as a state. In 1838 the union dissolved and Guatemala became an independent nation.[1] Both nations established diplomatic relations in 1838 and diplomatic missions were soon opened. In 1926 both nations resident diplomatic missions were elevated to embassies.[2]

In 1954, reformist Guatemalan President Jacobo Árbenz was ousted in an American backed coup d'état and replaced by a military junta; because of his disputes and opposition against the United Fruit Company. This incident was known as the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état. After resigning from the presidency, Árbenz and his family and several other political allies; were allowed to seek asylum in the Mexican embassy. After several weeks in the embassy, Árbenz, his family and political followers were allowed to leave the country for Mexico where he died in 1971.[3]

In December 1958, both nations were very close to declaring war on each other after an incident involving the Guatemalan navy firing upon Mexican fishing boats off the coast of Guatemala and killing three fisherman and wounding fourteen others. Soon after the attack diplomatic relations were severed and troops were mobilized to the border on both sides and Mexican fighter planes entered Guatemalan airspace to attack the country's main international airport, however, just before the attack was to take place, newly elected Mexican President Adolfo López Mateos called off the attack. In September 1959, with the mediation of Brazil and Chile; diplomatic relations between Guatemala and Mexico were re-established.[4] This incident was known as the Mexico–Guatemala conflict.

From 1960-1996, Guatemala became engaged in a civil war. During this time period, Mexico became home to approximately 80,000 Guatemalan refugees and asylum seekers, most of them of indigenous descent.[5] Since the end of the civil war, relations between both nations have greatly improved and both nations work together to combat human trafficking, organized crime and narcotics.[6]

State visits

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on a state visit to Guatemala with Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales, 2017.

Presidential visits from Guatemala to Mexico[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

Presidential visits from Mexico to Guatemala[14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

Migration

Guatemalan-Mexican border

Each year, thousands of Guatemalan migrants enter Mexico through its unsecured border and mainly transit through the country on their way to the United States. Many leave their country for better opportunities in the United States and Mexico and to escape rampant violence in Guatemala. In 2013, Mexico apprehended and deported over 30,000 Guatemalan nationals back to their country.[21] In 2010, there were registered 35,322 legal residents from Guatemala living in Mexico. There are also several thousand Guatemalan citizens who cross the border on a daily basis to work in Mexico and return to Guatemala at the end of the day.[22]

Governments of both nations have pledged to increase and improve consular affairs for Guatemalan nationals transiting through Mexico and for improved protection and respect of rights for the migrants in Mexico and to combat Mexican drug cartels operating in Guatemala.[23][24]

Trade relations

In 2001, Guatemala and Mexico signed a free trade agreement (along with El Salvador and Honduras) known as the Mexico-Northern Triangle Free Trade Agreement.[25] In January 2013, this free trade pact expanded to include Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Total trade between Guatemala and Mexico in 2017 amounted to $2.2 billion USD.[26][27] Guatemala is ranked as the seventh-biggest recipient of Mexican investments. Over the years, several multi-national Mexican companies have based themselves in the country and invested over US$2,600 billion.[28] Mexican multinational companies such as América Móvil, Banco Azteca, Gruma, Grupo Bimbo and Grupo Elektra operate in Guatemala.

Guatemala's exports to Mexico include edible fats and oil, rubber, textiles, paper and boards, vinegar, prepared meat and seafood. Mexico's exports to Guatemala include plastic material, machinery, mechanical appliances, iron, steel, perfume and cosmetics.[29]

Resident diplomatic missions

Embassy of Guatemala in Mexico City
of Guatemala in Mexico
of Mexico in Guatemala

See also

References

  1. ↑ History of Guatemala
  2. ↑ Bilateral relations of Mexico and Guatemala (in Spanish)
  3. ↑ United Fruit Historical Society: Jacobo Árbenz (1913-1971)
  4. ↑ Conflicto y conciliación: las relaciones méxico-guatemaltecas de la década de 1960 (in Spanish)
  5. ↑ Refugiados Guatemaltecos en México: Un Final Feliz (in Spanish)
  6. ↑ Guatemala: la cambiante cara del narco (in Spanish)
  7. ↑ President Laugerud in Mexico (in Spanish)
  8. ↑ Visita del Presidente Cerezo de Guatemala a México (in Spanish)
  9. ↑ Visita del Primer Mandatario de Guatemala: Vinicio Cerezo (in Spanish)
  10. ↑ MANDATARIOS DE PAISES QUE ASISTIERON A LA PRIMERA REUNIÓN CUMBRE IBEROAMERICANA, Guadalajara, México, 18 y 19 de Julio, 1991. (in Spanish)
  11. ↑ Cena de Estado en honor del Presidente Óscar Berger a México (in Spanish)
  12. ↑ Informe de actividades de la dirección general de cooperación y relaciones económicas bilaterales (in Spanish)
  13. ↑ Otto Pérez Molina, presidente de Guatemala, realiza visita oficial a México (in Spanish)
  14. ↑ President López Portillo to travel to Guatemala (in Spanish)
  15. ↑ Visita de Estado del presidente Miguel de la Madrid a la República de Guatemala (in Spanish)
  16. ↑ President Carlos Salinas de Gortari in Guatemala; 1992 (in Spanish)
  17. ↑ IV Reunión Cumbre del Mecanismo de Diálogo y Concertación de Tuxtla (in Spanish)
  18. ↑ Permisos concedidos al Presidente de la República Vicente Fox Quesada para ausentarse del territorio nacional (in Spanish)
  19. ↑ Viajes realizados al extranjero por el C. Felipe Calderón (in Spanish)
  20. ↑ Peña Nieto y Pérez Molina buscarán fortalecer la seguridad en la frontera (in Spanish)
  21. ↑ Mexico's other border
  22. ↑ INEGI: Foreign nations living in Mexico (in Spanish) Archived 2013-04-27 at the Wayback Machine.
  23. ↑ Peña Nieto promete proteger inmigrantes de violencia en México (in Spanish) Archived 2014-11-29 at the Wayback Machine.
  24. ↑ Guatemala's bloody battle with Mexican drug cartels
  25. ↑ Mexico-Northern Triangle free trade agreement
  26. ↑ Mexican Ministry of the Economy: Guatemala (in Spanish)
  27. ↑ Guatemala espera duplicar sus exportaciones a México con el TLC unificado (in Spanish)
  28. ↑ Fomentarán gobiernos de Guatemala y México inversión e intercambio comercial (in Spanish)
  29. ↑ Nuevo TLC entre México y Guatemala augura más comercio (in Spanish)
  30. ↑ Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala (in Spanish)
  31. ↑ Embassy of Mexico in Guatemala City (in Spanish)
  32. ↑ Consulate of Mexico in Quetzaltenango (in Spanish)
  33. ↑ Consulate of Mexico in Tecún Umán (in Spanish)
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