The President Bernardo Arévalo This Friday held a meeting with the Undersecretary of State of the United States, Christopher Landauwithin the framework of an official visit of the diplomat to the country, which marked the closure of its tour of Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala.
After the meeting, the Guatemalan president said they approached Critical issues of the bilateral relationshipamong them The fight against drug traffickingpeople traffic, migratory flow management and Cooperation in Strategic Infrastructure, Commerce and Investments.
“The fact that we are finishing a working meeting, in fact two – a private and one with work teams – allowed us National Palace.
One of the central themes was the Combat drug trafficking. The president presented the new Regulation for the authorization and control of precursors and chemicals, Posted this same Friday at the Official Gazette.
“Actually this regulation is a key tool for the fight against drug trafficking, especially for the combat of the new ones, the precursors from which synthetic drugs are built and that have particularities in the way they occur, as transported and therefore require an adequate framework”Arévalo explained.
“This regulation is a key tool for fighting drug trafficking, especially to face the production of synthetic drugs. Create an operational inter -institutional group, composed of different ministries, the SAT and the commission against addictions”explained the president.
At the meeting also dialogue about the strengthening of the Security cooperation.
Arévalo announced the creation of a new Special Command Against Transnational Threatswhich will operate under the MINISTRY OF DEFENSE.
“This command will be a mechanism to coordinate much more directly with United States, Mexico or any other country with which we work collaboratively in the fight against Transnational crime”He explained.
Incident on the border and regional cooperation
During the day, the president also reported on the diplomatic and security efforts before the recent incident in The table, Huehuetenangowhere forces of the state of Chiapas They entered Guatemalan territory in persecution of a criminal group.
“We suffer in our own flesh the consequences of organized crime. That is why it is essential to strengthen cooperation between countries,” he said, and confirmed that the Mexican government offered public apologies and responded to a protest note Sent by Guatemala.
As part of the bilateral response, this Friday afternoon a technical meeting of the High Level Group in Guatemala-Mexico Safety (GAMEG) To establish the agenda of an upcoming meeting next week.
“The group is not being created now, it already existed, but it had not been functioning as it should. We want Gansec to operate regularly and effectively against the challenges in the border area,” said Arévalo.
The president also reported that The 12 agents of the National Civil Police substation on the table They were transferred to the capital for a Internal researchwhile they deployed Special forces in the area.
Trade and investments
In the economic field, Arévalo stressed that the negotiation on tariffs Between the two countries it develops only through agreed formal channel.
“The conversation with Vice Chancellor Landau allowed us to express our satisfaction that this mechanism is underway and that it develops within the framework of a strategic relationshipwhich is not limited to trade, but encompasses the defense of Rule of lawthe security and the migration”He said.
Christopher Landau He also met with Guatemalan and private sector officialsand visited the Quetzal portwhere a project is developed modernization With the United States support, including Technical assistance of your military aggregate.
Arévalo closed his speech highlighting the Set advance In all the issues addressed: “We are advancing well, advancing safely, especially in issues where there is a shared interest such as respect for justice, democracy and well -being of our nations.”
Regulation
The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS) officialized this Friday, June 13, the Regulation for the authorization and control of precursors and chemicalsunder government agreement 102-2025, with the purpose of strengthening control over inputs that could be used in drug manufacturing.
This new regulatory framework is integrated into the actions of the Executive against drug trafficking and responds to international commitments assumed by Guatemala in the field of narcotic control. In addition, it establishes Clear guidelines to prevent the diversion or improper use of chemical substances that can represent risks to public health.
Key points of the regulation:
- Define standards for the use, import, export and control of chemical precursors and substances that can be used in drug production.
- Imposes specific obligations to companies or people who handle these substancesand requires licenses, authorizations and export or transit certificates, as the case may be.
- Strengthens inter -institutional coordinationinvolving MSPAS, the Ministry of the Interior, Defense, Agriculture, the SAT and the Commission against Addictions and Illicit Drug Trafficking.
- Regulates key technical aspectssuch as conditioning, inspections, end user and tariff classification of products.
With this regulation, the Government seeks not only to limit the illicit circulation of chemicals, but also close gaps that can be used by criminal structures. The regulations It will enter into force 15 days after its publication in the Diario de Central América.