WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced a resolution marking 175 years of bilateral relations between the United States and Guatemala. The resolution reaffirms this critical and enduring global partnership, and recognizes the contributions of the late Guatemalan Ambassador Francisco Villagram and his efforts to strengthen relations.
“The United States and Guatemala have a long and rich history based on our shared democratic and economic values,” said Chair Cardin. “Our productive relations have endured for decades, from working to address the root causes of irregular migration to our anti-corruption efforts. The past 175 years have been marked by tremendous progress, but we must continue to look for opportunities to promote inclusive economic growth, address ongoing security challenges, and build more accountable and transparent institutions across Guatemala, and we look forward to working with President Arevalo on these issues.”
“For 175 years, the United States and Guatemala have fostered strong diplomatic, economic, and people-to-people ties,” said Senator Kaine, Chair of the SFRC Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. “I’m proud to introduce this resolution to reaffirm the importance of the U.S.-Guatemala relationship, our shared commitment to democracy and the rule of law, and the need to work together to address regional challenges.”
“I was hopeful during my visit to Guatemala in December that newly elected President Arévalo would help improve the lives of the Guatemalan people and continue a strong partnership with the United States. He is off to a good start and we should support these efforts that strengthen the country’s democracy and economy. I hope that the troubling detentions he inherited of prosecutor Virginia Laparra and journalist José Rubén Zamora can also be resolved,” said Senator Durbin. “With today’s resolution, we’re celebrating 175 years of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Guatemala, and I am optimistic we can continue to build this relationship for years to come.”
A copy of the resolution is available here.
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