When I traveled to Guatemala last summer, I was unsure of what to expect. What I found was a leader and a government fighting for reform, standing strong against drug traffickers, corruption, and bad actors. What I found was a friend of the United States, partnering with us to make our continent safer. And we should be a good friend back.
President Jimmy Morales has proven his commitment to fighting drug trafficking. Seizures of cocaine have doubled since he entered office, and illegal drug confiscations in the first half of 2018 have increased by 300 percent over last year. With these numbers and more than 106 arrests of significant drug traffickers, the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report noted Guatemala’s “notable progress” in fighting criminal organizations and the country’s “record interdiction and enforcement gains.”
These statistics are no surprise after my conversations with government officials in Guatemala. There is a new mentality in town, a belief that in Central America, government can indeed enforce the rule of law, police can protect the citizenry, and due process can sit at the center of a legal system.
To seize all these drugs, the Guatemalans rely on a few boats and helicopters as well as on-the-ground intelligence. America provides support for these efforts, but we could offer even more. Small contributions, like a boat to increase the range of their navy, could result in significant increases in drug interdictions.
Guatemala acts as a force-multiplier for U.S. efforts against cocaine. With an estimated 90 percent of U.S.-consumed cocaine originating in Colombia, according to the State Department, Central America is a chokepoint for traffickers. If we can equip trusted Central American allies to seize these boats and planes loaded with cocaine, we can potentially save millions of dollars on our own anti-drug efforts in the U.S.
Thankfully, Guatemala and President Morales, to their credit, are taking steps to root out corruption and strengthen the rule of law. Morales tightened tax collection, recovering millions in unpaid taxes. Under his watch, the National Civil Police saw the homicide rate in the country drop to its lowest level in nine years.
This growing, still imperfect symphony of reform empowers Guatemala to serve as a capable friend of the U.S. at a time when other Central American nations are turning their backs.
El Salvador and Panama recently dropped their diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favor of a cozier economic relationship with China. Nicaragua has rekindled its Russian ties, accepting economic and military aid from President Vladimir Putin.
As China and Russia try to project power into America’s backyard, Guatemala stands by our side in fighting for a free and peaceful world.
In 2016 and 2017, Guatemalan intelligence reports that up to 44 potentially ISIS-affiliated individuals were detained traveling on false documents. Their nation has also seen marked improvements in dismantling gangs, prosecuting extortion cases, and lowering the homicide rate. They’re also actively educating citizens about the serious consequences of immigrating illegally to the U.S.
And in May of this year, Guatemala followed America’s lead in moving their embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.
Guatemala is a strategic partner for the U.S. From military and intelligence cooperation to free and fair trade deals, we should work to strengthen ties with this Central American nation so they can withstand the pressure of Russia and China and avoid the trap that their Marxist neighbors are falling into.
With due diligence, American policymakers must find ways to empower Guatemala in its pursuit of greater domestic and regional stability. Because, ultimately, a stable and law-abiding Central America makes the U.S. safer.
