Guatemala Agrees to Receive Deportees from Other Countries in Agreement with Rubio
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo stated that illegal immigrants will be deported to their home country at the expense of the United States. He made this announcement on Feb. 5 after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Guatemala has agreed to accept deportees from other countries, as part of the “Safe Third Country” agreement, which aligns with the U.S.’s plan to repatriate all deportees at U.S. cost.
Guatemala is already working with the U.S. to receive military and civilian deportation flights, with plans to increase the number of flights by 40%. Arevalo emphasized the need for a regional approach to address the issue of illegal immigration and did not rule out the possibility of similar agreements in the future.
Additionally, El Salvador has announced its willingness to accept criminal illegal immigrants and even U.S. citizens into their prison system. Incoming prisoners would be housed in the new “Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT)” mega-prison, which can accommodate 40,000 inmates. The U.S. would be charged a fee for this service to support the Salvadoran prison system.
During his foreign trip as Secretary of State, Rubio visited Guatemala, among other Latin American countries, to address immigration concerns. The Trump administration’s focus on immigration was a key aspect of his tour. In Panama, Rubio met with President José Raúl Mulino, who decided not to renew the country’s agreement with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) due to national security concerns.
Rubio praised Mulino’s decision as a positive step for U.S.-Panama relations and highlighted the importance of maintaining a free Panama Canal. The influence of the Chinese regime over the canal has been a significant concern for the U.S., given that a Hong Kong-based company operates the ports at both ends of the Panama Canal.
Contributions by Aldgra Fredly, Frank Fang, and the Associated Press.
