For this Tuesday, May 27, the meeting of the Government’s High Level Delegation is planned with the Office of the United States Commercial Representative (USTR, in English), with the aim of starting negotiations to eliminate the 10% tariff imposed on imports of Guatemalan products towards that country.
The sectors involved have high expectations regarding the possibility of suppressing said tariff, although their representatives are aware that, according to the experience of other countries, that objective is not achieved in a single meeting, but is part of a negotiation process.
The President of the Republic, Bernardo Arévalo, confirmed Monday that the Guatemalan delegation will be headed by Carlos Martínez and the Minister of Economy, Gabriela García. The Ministry of Economy (Mineco) reported that Guatemala’s ambassador will also attend in Washington, Hugo Beteta.
According to another list of delegates, Valeria Prado, Vice Minister of Investment and Competition of the Mineco also integrates; Beatriz Sánchez, foreign foreign investment advisor (Mineco); and Willian Turton, commercial counselor of the Guatemala Embassy in the United States.
Mineco officials reported last week, during a summons in the Congress Economy Commission, which will also be part of the Victoria Meza delegation, director of Administration to Foreign Trade, and Yony Cifuentes, Director of Foreign Trade Policy, both of the Mineco, according to official means.
The president expressed at a press conference that the purpose of this mission is to strengthen commercial relations and reduce the impact of tariff measures. He added that, in addition to the meeting with the UST, other meetings with senators, congressmen, officials and American businessmen will be held, accompanied by representatives of the Guatemalan private sector.
The Business Delegation is made up of around 15 members, including: Charles Bland, president of the Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial and Financial Associations (CACIF) and the Chamber of the Agro de Guatemala (Camagro); Francisco Ralda, vice president of the CACIF and president of the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (AGEXPORT); Carlos Arias, president of the Association of the Costume and Textile Industry (Vestex).
Amador Carballido, general director of AGEXPORT also participate; Carla Caballeros, executive director of Camagro; Karin de León, Investment Director of Vestex; Luis Andrés Ayala, member of the Board of Directors; Julio Mérida, Executive Director of the Association of Independent Banano Producers (APIB); Rosemarie Luna, specialist in compliance and sustainability of the National Coffee Association (Anacafé); Juan Carlos Zapata, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Development of Guatemala (Fundesa); Waleska Sterkel, Executive Director of the Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM); and Andrea Monzón, Director of Interinstitutional Relations of the Guatemalan Chamber of Industry (CIG).
Expectations
Representatives indicated that Cacif leads the delegation of the private sector that accompanies the government.
Carla Caballeros explained that the official delegation will meet with the USTR on May 27. Then, three days of meetings with agencies and institutions of the US government, Congress, business associations and thought centers will be held.
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The executive reported that the private sector does not have a meeting with the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and that she does not know if the government officials have scheduled some meeting with him.
The Mineco did not respond to requests for expanding information, while the MINEX indicated that the Chancellor will only participate as a diplomatic and political representative, and that the Mineco represents the technical and commercial part. The Foreign Ministry said that the Foreign Minister has no meeting with the Secretary Rubio.
Neither the Mineco nor the Minex have disclosed the proposal that will be presented at the meeting, beyond the previously mentioned advances around the measures taken to address the non -tariff commercial barriers indicated by the USTR in its most recent report.
Asked the MINEX on whether migration and security issues will be discussed, it was indicated that the agenda is focused exclusively on commercial matters.
The private sector stressed that the purpose of these meetings is to highlight the strategic relationship between Guatemala and the United States, since many US companies that supply agricultural supplies, cotton, textiles, machinery and other products to Guatemala are integrated into national exports and are also affected by the 10%tariff.
The general director of AGEXPORT said that the meeting with the USTR – in which only government representatives will participate – will attend the delegates of the Government of Guatemala, who will be attended by Jamieson Greer, head of the USTR.
He agreed with gentlemen regarding the relevance of meetings with businessmen, suppliers and American buyers planned for this week.
Carballido said that there is a high expectation because this is an opportunity to address issues that affect the productive and export sector.
He added that there is a margin of negotiation, since it is external tariffs within the framework of a free trade with the United States, in which various tariff barriers have been eliminated.
“We have a high expectation that we can initiate a negotiation process that leads to reduce the tariff, that the Free Trade Agreement is asserted with which the tariff issues have already been exceeded, and of the advances to solve non -tariff barriers indicated,” said Carbonallido, who clarified that, according to international experience, this type of processes require more than one meeting to reach specific agreements.