With a career built on effort, intuition and perseverance, Guatemalan Carlos Guerrero breaks social stigmas by demonstrating that coming from an area considered red does not limit the opportunities to excel. His career has taken him to international spaces such as Telemundo and Netflix.
He confesses that his path was not easy and that it was marked by challenges and opportunities that forced him to dare, even when he had no experience. That determination led him to develop as a broadcaster, singer, television presenter, producer and actor.
His first steps were taken in Guatemala, where he achieved fame; However, he confesses that it was in the United States where he experienced a shock of reality that led him to seek vindication and strive to build a name outside its borders.
He is currently producer of the renowned youth program The Thermometerfrom Guatevisión, and has participated in international productions such as Velvet: The New Empire, Come Back to Me and even the bioseries Jenni Rivera: Neighborhood Butterfly.
How did you start your artistic career?
My story began in zone 18, in San Rafael 1. Growing up in an area considered red meant that many doors were closed due to stigma, but that also motivated me to want to stand out and become a source of pride for my family and my community.
I started working when I was 12, after my dad—from whom I inherited my passion for music—died in an accident. Since then, I did everything to help my mother: I was a shoemaker, a warehouseman and I even sold through catalogues.
At the age of 17, when I was working in a bank, my first opportunity in art appeared. It all started on a birthday where I was singing. A man approached me and offered to pay me to participate in events. There I felt that I could begin the path I always dreamed of.
Although my mother wanted me to finish my studies first, I started singing in activities and little by little people began to connect with my way of performing. While that was happening, I was also looking for opportunities on local radio stations, and although I left demos many times, I never received a response.
Carlos Guerrero, Gaby Borges and Josh Gutiérrez, actors from the television series Velvet: The New Empire. (Photo: Courtesy Carlos Guerrero)
How did you get into the world of voice-over?
The opportunity came when he was singing at events. I met a person who worked as a producer at a Catholic radio station, and he invited me to do a casting. It was my first time auditioning for radio, and I was excited.
I stayed at the station and started as “Brother Carlos”, a space where people called to ask for advice. Later, I had the opportunity to work on another local radio station, at the same time, where I talked about intimacy in couples.
After a while, I jumped to one of my most important projects on radio, which was Night of Stars with Carlos Guerrero, a program that connected very well with the audience and allowed me to move on to other programs, which led me to gain recognition on national radio.
At that time I was doing very well on the radio, but my restlessness and desire to grow made me go back to music. I started recording songs and took my material to another station, a decision that ended up causing me to leave that radio space.
Guatemalan Carlos Guerrero went from working as a child in zone 18 to participating in Telemundo and Netflix productions. (Photo: Courtesy Carlos Guerrero)
How does it get to television?
After leaving radio, I thought my career was over, but shortly after I was called to do a television casting. I had never worked in that medium, but I decided to try it.
I did the casting, and that same day they offered me to participate in a live program. I accepted without thinking much. They put the microphone on me, sent me on set, and I decided to enjoy the process.
To my surprise, everything went well and shortly after, I was asked if I wanted to host a weekly show. It was a singing competition that was broadcast internationally, but produced from Guatemala.
I remember that, although there was criticism from some colleagues for being new and leading such an important project, I went ahead and worked on my first big television show.
Some time later, I joined a youth program on the same network, which at that time was one of the most popular in the country. For me it was crazy, because I had more and more followers and they began to recognize me within the industry.
While I was participating in that youth program, they offered me another project on the same television station: to be the main host of the Central American version of that singing contest.
That project marked one of the best moments of my career.
What was the moment that marked your life?
In the past, he said that he had the habit of jumping out of the plane when it was going up and not when it had already landed. That’s how, in one of my best moments on television, I made the decision to quit, because I wanted to continue growing. I thought that, having fame, contacts and money, everything was going to turn out well, but the opposite happened.
In less than a month I spent all my savings. I even remember my daughter’s mother calling me to ask for child support, and that was an eye-opening moment, because the only thing of value I had was an iPad that I thought about pawning.
However, something stopped me. I thought: “How am I going to pawn an iPad if I’m Carlos Guerrero?” So, I decided to find another way to get ahead.
I grabbed the iPad and started creating a TV show. I dedicated myself to knocking on doors to sell the project, although at first no one wanted to buy it. Over time, some brands began to be interested in the idea, and that’s how How Easy to Win with Carlos Guerrero was born, a family game show that I finally managed to sell.
The project lasted three months, but it allowed me to generate income and become, for the first time, a producer. I think the decision not to pawn or sell the iPad was what really marked my life.
Carlos Guerrero, along with Andrea Meza, Myrka Dellanos, Giselle Blondet, Verónica Bastos and Aylín Mujica, from the Telemundo program La Mesa Caliente. (Photo: Courtesy Carlos Guerrero)
When are you looking to reach new international spaces?
After that program, I decided to try my luck in Mexico, but I was faced with the reality that I could not work due to lack of documentation. Shortly after, I ran out of money and made the decision to go to Miami.
When I arrived, I started the residency procedures and worked making Uber trips to support myself. It was a hard moment, because I went from being a television host in Guatemala to driving in another country.
I also worked lifting floors in construction and I remember coming home with my hands shaking from the physical effort. I even worked in Alicia Machado’s kitchen, although I tried to hide so she wouldn’t recognize me.
Some time later, I received a call to participate in a Telemundo casting. They were looking for actors who could sing and, although I had no experience in acting, I decided to give it a try.
I didn’t get the initial role, but later they called me again to participate in Eva la trailera, alongside Edith González. There I played a police officer named Milton and I understood that I had really managed to get into Telemundo.
After that novel, the opportunity came to participate in The fanalong with Angélica Vale, where I began to have greater recognition.
Later I joined Jenni Rivera: Neighborhood Butterflywhere I played Manolo. That project was very important, because I participated from the beginning to the end and it allowed me to grow a lot as an actor.
Then came other productions, such as Come Back to Me, alongside William Levy, where I played a murderer and had to face much more complex scenes.
The most recent project was Velvet: The New Empireo, series that I joined last year, while working in Guatemala in The Thermometer.
Has it been difficult to migrate to seek better opportunities?
I’m going to be very honest: leaving home is not for everyone. I think it is a decision that only people who are willing to leave everything for their dreams make.
Starting from scratch in another country is very difficult. You have no idea how many times I cried while doing Uber and wondering what I was doing there, if in Guatemala I already had a career and many things built.
But when you really have a dream and want to fulfill it, you find the strength to keep going. You learn to transform opportunities and adapt to circumstances.
I had to work lifting floors and taking Uber trips to support myself, while I looked for opportunities that would bring me closer to what people see today on television and social networks.
What’s coming for the future?
I am currently waiting for a new project that could be developed in Miami, where I would have the opportunity to work as a presenter. Additionally, I am involved in projects related to TikTok Shop.
I also have an agency for content creators, where we manage advertising campaigns and digital strategies for different talents.
Added to that is my work as producer of El Termómetro, a program that continues to be a very important part of my professional life.