After finishing the meetings of this week of the public-private delegation of Guatemala, which seeks the elimination of the 10% tariff imposed by the United States, ministries, business chambers and analysts expose the positive steps achieved, but also indicate the need to fulfill commitments on trade facilitation and continue preparing before the uncertainty.
The central messages were to strengthen Guatemala as a strategic partner of the United States, not only in foreign trade, but also in security and other issues, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and various business organizations.
The message was clear: to restore preferential trade will strengthen employment, security and prosperity in both countries, the Agro Chamber of Guatemala (Camagro) mentioned, referring to the closure of three days of meetings in Washington, which began with the appointment of national officials with the head of the USTR, to start the conversations in search of reducing the tariff.
In addition, the State Department and the Department of Commerce positively received the visit of the Public-Private Delegation, since it demonstrates Guatemala’s interest in working together to continue the conversations with the USTR, a process that the Government has already started with a first meeting about the reduction of tariffs, said Waleska Sterkel de Ortiz, executive director of the Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce of Commerce (Amcham).
Carla Caballeros, executive director of Camagro, explained that the meetings were positive for the country, since it could reiterate the importance of Guatemala as the United States reliable partner in supply chains that generate employment and trade of mutual benefit. He added that Guatemala is also recognized as a strategic ally in regional security, being an important border that closes the step to influences that threaten the security of the hemisphere. “This clarity and forcefulness of Guatemala in the defense of democratic and freedom values” place us in a clear position of friends and allies of the United States, he added.
Opinions: coordinated work, execute and negotiate well
Paul Boto, executive director of the Freedom and Development Foundation, agreed with Hugo Maul, president of the National Economic Research Center (one hundred), in which the coordination between the Government and the private sector was positive, because it is perceived that the country takes the negotiations seriously. According to bouncing, this transmits credibility in the commitments acquired. And even internally, coordinated work between sectors is also relevant, to improve the economic and social conditions of the country, since “little can be achieved if there is political conflict.”
Maul also highlighted the importance of attending a public-private delegation. He even stated that this aspect caught the attention of Honduran media, which consulted him about the Guatemalan experience of sending a mission composed of high -level public officials and union representatives to negotiate the modification of the tariff imposed by the Trump administration. “In Guatemala we are sometimes too unfair to ourselves and tends to minimize or not completely value issues like this,” he added.
Expectations, uncertainty and reality
There are expectations, but current reality and uncertainty should not be lost, they added.
Bicing recalled that Guatemala was imposed a 10%tariff, the lowest possible, except Canada and Mexico, which are highly integrated into the United States economy. He also mentioned that the rest of the countries in the region has not achieved that minimum tariff, “not even Argentina, whose president has a great ideological affinity with Trump.”
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In addition, it should not be forgotten that the United States government wants to increase tax collection through tariffs, “which reduces the probability of achieving the same conditions that were before with the Free Trade Agreement. However, some type of reduction could be achieved, even if it is minimal,” he emphasized.
Regarding meetings with officials and businessmen from the United States, including the USTR, Maul added that it was positive to take that step. However, he explained that “we are facing total uncertainty,” since for more negotiating skill you have, if you do not know what to expect from the other part, any negotiation is difficult and unpredictable.
“It is also important to recognize that the worst negotiation is currently what is not done.” It may be achieved or not a result, but given such uncertainty, we had to try.
The second point is to understand Guatemala’s particular position at the time of negotiating. The country does not have the economic power of China or the European Union, so that the requests are granted or willing to make some concession.
Related to this, Maul exposes some disadvantages, but also advantages. “Recognizing this we see that we are in a potentially weak negotiating situation, but we must also recognize that, within the region, we are perhaps one of the countries that has a better proposal for sale and negotiation, simply because we are the only country in Central America that maintains relations with Taiwan and has not yielded to Chinese pressure.” In addition, he highlighted the collaboration with the United States Army Engineers Corps in the field of strategic infrastructure.
🇬🇹 🤝🇺🇸 Day 3 | Guatemala Public-Private Delegation in Washington DC
At the close of our official mission, we reaffirm that Guatemala is a strategic ally of the United States, committed to a shared agenda based on security, prosperity and freedom. pic.twitter.com/QBNG8ZCK3O
– Minex Guatemala 🇬🇹 (@minexgt) May 29, 2025
Although it starts from a negotiating weakness position, there are arguments that can be asserted, mainly that the commercial balance favors the United States and that this country does not have interest in producing what matters from Guatemala. In addition, Trump has expressed that he is not interested in making t -shirts or clothing in general terms.
An important signal was sent when the public sector and the private sector attend with a position common to a negotiation, understanding that President Trump, beyond what was recorded in the Free Trade Agreement, is a person inclined to direct negotiation.
In that context, going to negotiate is the first step. The second is to be clear to negotiate. For example, if it is not known what the United States wants, all that remains is to intuit your concerns. In the case of Guatemala, these demonstrated in the List of the USTR on commercial barriers and commercial practices that displease them. With that information, the important thing is to have a remedial plan to improve. Although Maul said he did not know what was presented to the US authorities, he indicated that committing to improving these areas is a good position, although it would have been better to arrive with concrete results, although some aspects are difficult to solve immediately.