For the second time in the year, a technical mission of the USACE Guatemala visit to carry out critical infrastructure studies and analysis, as part of cooperation between the United States and Guatemala.
The mission will analyze the rail system in connections with Mexico and El Salvador, as part of a connectivity project.
José Fernando Suriano Buezo, Deputy Minister of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (MICIVI), commented that the opening session with the representatives of the USACE was held during the morning of this Monday and will conclude next Friday, May 23, when the project findings will be presented.
“We have a mission of the United States Corps of Engineers working hand in hand with the body of engineers of the Army of Guatemala, Fegua and Ferrovías. This mission aims to identify the availability of studies and information, analyze the current legal framework and identify the existing financial structuring in the operations carried out by Fegua and Ferrovías,” said the official.
The resources and assets available in other State entities related to the national rail system will also be identified, and the technical and legal gaps will be detected to initiate feasibility studies. These will allow, in the future, to implement contracting mechanisms through legal instruments to execute a next phase in the railway field.
This mission aims to identify the availability of studies and information, analyze the current legal framework and identify the existing financial structuring in the operations carried out by Fegua and Ferrovías “
José Fernando Suriano Buezo, Vice Minister Micivi
The technicians had already made a field visit in the Morales – Fuerto Barrios stretch, in Izabal, last February, and now they will focus on the Escuintla – Puerto San José section.
The visit, which concludes on Friday, will include the exhibition of a program with the following steps to follow and a preliminary report could be submitted, said Suriano Buezo.
Last February, a Mission of the USACE was in Guatemala to carry out an evaluation of the modernization and expansion of the commercial docks in the Port Company Quetzal (EPQ), in Escuintla. Next Thursday, May 22, in the afternoon, a memorandum of understanding with Guatemala will be signed, in which authorities of the Government, the Ministry of Defense and the Southern Command of the US will participate.
What is it?
Since 2024, a program called Critical Infrastructure Development in Guatemala -United States Cooperation is maintained, ratified with the visit of the framework Secretary Frame Rubio last February.
The program contemplates multimodal connectivity between:
- Maritime
- Air
- Land
- Railway
One of the objectives is that the network allows the transfer of merchandise and people quickly, economically and socially and efficiently, according to a MICIVI document.
For rail connectivity, the pillars are:
- Logistic cost reduction
- Greater load capacity and decrease in road congestion
- Positive environmental impact
- Accident risk reduction
Among the impacts of the National Railway Network are mentioned:
- Cargo transport generates economic and logistics impact
- It positions Guatemala as a strategic node in the region
- Increases the competitiveness of ports and international connectivity
- It constitutes a strategic asset in security matters