Of the writing
La Jornada newspaper
Saturday, August 16, 2025, p. 5
The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, and her counterpart from Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, met yesterday for the first time in the heart of the Mayan jungle, and assumed concrete commitments to strengthen border security, in order to deal with the threat of transnational organized crime, as well as maintain cooperation and coordination in matters of migration and development.
At a joint conference, after the bilateral meeting, they also announced the expansion of the Mayan train to Guatemala and a binational protocol for migrant repatriation, in addition to a package of temporary visas for Guatemalan citizens.
Sheinbaum asked Arévalo “to continue walking together in defense of the sovereignty and the dignity of our peoples” and the Guatemalan president, stressed that he does not doubt that “at this time of global uncertainty” the shared will will allow “to transit the paths of Mesoamerica again to build a better future.”
The president established a parallel between her government and that of Arévalo. “Our nations walk on parallel paths, they are governments, we close to the people, determined to eradicate corruption,” and together also “in the inalienable struggle that they are our hands, our minds and not that of others, those who write our destiny.”
Both leaders stressed that in that meeting, to which Sheinbaum defined as “historical”, specific commitments on security were reaffirmed so that the border that Mexico and Guatemala share is a space of peace, where people are protected and the criminal groups are combated.
The reactivation of high level of security and the review that is carried out from its operational protocol, are “testimony of the priority that both governments grant to give an effective response to this scourge,” said President Arévalo and explained that they agreed to maintain the current mechanisms, coordination and dialogue between the commanders of the border military units and the chiefs of the main president state and the police and ministerial authorities.
“These mechanisms consolidate our relationship and strengthen our ability to respond, within the framework of respect for sovereignty, that threat.” He stressed “our unequivocal commitment in the fight against drug trafficking and we recognize Mexico’s efforts in that direction.”
In this regard, Sheinbaum advances that in October there will be a meeting of said group in Mexico to which the cabinets of both countries will attend to follow up on the commitments acquired. This same, he explained, met in Guatemala.
On the other hand, he explained that it was agreed that the Mayan train, which is a success and represents a possibility of community development, can also reach Guatemala.
“We are ready to connect the Mayan train with Guatemala and eventually with Belize,” he said, and in the question session President Arévalo stated that environmental impact studies will begin, although they are clear that he will not cross any reservation.
Other agreements were the development of development and well -being poles on the common border to meet the causes of migration, as well as joint opportunities for energy use at the border.
