[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 767 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 767
Commemorating 175 years of diplomatic relations between the United
States and the Republic of Guatemala.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 11 (legislative day, July 10), 2024
Mr. Cardin (for himself, Mr. Kaine, and Mr. Durbin) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Commemorating 175 years of diplomatic relations between the United
States and the Republic of Guatemala.
Whereas January 31, 2024 marked the 175th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between the United States and the Republic of
Guatemala;
Whereas Guatemala and the United States have shared strong bilateral relations
on issues of mutual interest, with a partnership grounded in respect,
shared democratic and anti-corruption values, the defense of human
rights, and the pursuit of economic prosperity and shared security
interests;
Whereas Ambassador Francisco Villagran de Leon, who passed away on May 18, 2024,
after 5 decades of professional service as a career diplomat, scholar,
and political activist, dedicated a significant portion of his
professional career to strengthening Guatemalan democracy and bilateral
relations between the United States and Guatemala;
Whereas Guatemalans and Guatemalan Americans residing in the United States have
enriched the United States social, economic, and political development,
which has allowed Guatemala's rich identity and heritage to become an
integral part of the cultural tapestry of the United States;
Whereas the United States and Guatemala, which have historically enjoyed strong
commercial and investment ties, have engaged in free trade since July 1,
2006, through the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free
Trade Agreement (commonly known as ``CAFTA-DR)'';
Whereas the United States, which is Guatemala's largest trading partner,
accounts for nearly 35 percent of Guatemala's foreign trade;
Whereas the United States and Guatemala have been strong partners throughout
multiple presidential administrations in both countries to address
irregular migration in the Western Hemisphere, including through--
(1) safe third country agreements;
(2) the establishment of the Safe Mobility Initiative and the opening
of the first Safe Mobility Office in Guatemala;
(3) being signatories to the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and
Protection in June 2022; and
(4) helping to implement the United States Strategy to Address the Root
Causes of Migration in Central America;
Whereas Guatemala and the United States have partnered to combat corruption,
uphold the rule of law, and build strong democratic institutions,
including by supporting President Bernardo Arevalo's National Commission
Against Corruption;
Whereas President Arevalo was democratically elected in 2023, and through
concerted and sustained support by a wide swath of Guatemalan citizens,
including indigenous persons, pro-democracy activists and the Guatemalan
private sector, was inaugurated as president in 2024;
Whereas during his first 100 days in office, President Arevalo has demonstrated
a commitment to further deepen Guatemala's bilateral partnership with
the United States by--
(1) reaffirming Guatemala's commitment to maintain shared global policy
priorities, including through support to mutual democratic partners of
Taiwan, Ukraine, and Israel;
(2) demonstrating the political will to address the regional migration
challenge by hosting the 2024 Third Ministerial on the Los Angeles
Declaration on Migration and Protection;
(3) sustaining a serious dialogue with a wide range of indigenous
communities on resolving historical inequities and grievances of the large
and diverse indigenous communities of Guatemala; and
(4) following through on his commitment to address corruption across
Guatemala's institutions by empowering Guatemala's National Commission
Against Corruption;
Whereas journalist Jose Ramon Zamora, former prosecutor Virginia Laparra, and
indigenous activist Sofia Tot Ac have faced unjust harassment for their
advocacy against corruption and for indigenous rights in Guatemala;
Whereas Guatemala's principled support for Taiwan is resulting in economic
intimidation by the People's Republic of China, which was most recently
demonstrated by--
(1) the People's Republic of China's denial of entry of at least 7
shipping containers of macadamia nuts; and
(2) Guatemalan traders being told that Guatemalan macadamia nuts and
coffee would be denied entry only days after the attendance of Guatemala's
Minister of Foreign Affairs at the inauguration of Taiwanese President Lai
Ching-te: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) commemorates the 175th anniversary of the establishment
of official diplomatic relations between the United States and
the Republic of Guatemala;
(2) celebrates the contributions that Guatemalans and
Guatemalan-Americans have made in the United States;
(3) recognizes the significant contributions made by
Ambassador Francisco Villagran de Leon to strengthening
bilateral relations between the United States and Guatemala and
preserving Guatemalan democracy;
(4) reaffirms the long history of collaboration across
multiple presidential administrations in Guatemala and the
United States to collaborate to address mutual challenges in
our national interests;
(5) urges the Government of Guatemala--
(A) to continue to work to find achievable
solutions to bring inclusive economic growth, address
ongoing security challenges, and build more accountable
and transparent institutions;
(B) to follow through on its commitments to address
the legitimate grievances of indigenous communities so
these communities feel included and empowered, and to
see tangible progress for the indigenous population in
Guatemala; and
(C) to ensure fair judicial proceedings for all
wrongfully targeted journalists and activists,
including Jose Ramon Zamora, Virginia Laparra, and
Sofia Tot Ac; and
(6) calls on the United States Government--
(A) to enhance its efforts to counter economic
coercion of Guatemala from the People's Republic of
China due to Guatemala's continued recognition of
Taiwan, including through enhanced economic
partnerships, private sector engagement, and foreign
assistance;
(B) to strengthen foreign assistance aimed at
helping the Government of Guatemala ensure democracy
can deliver tangible improvements for all Guatemalans;
(C) to use all available tools at its disposal to
support Guatemala's efforts to combat widespread
corruption; and
(D) to ensure that migration management efforts are
focused on safe, legal, and humane strategies.
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