https://crsreports.congress.gov
Updated April 4, 2025
Guatemala: An Overview
Guatemala, the most populous country in Central America,
has strived to consolidate its democracy since the 1990s. It
has faced many political and social challenges, as well as
human rights abuses and widespread impunity.
Traditionally, the United States and Guatemala have had
close relations, with friction at times over certain issues,
such as corruption and migration. The 119
th
Congress may
seek to assess the U.S.- Guatemala relationship on the
aforementioned issues, the promotion of democracy, and
efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking.
Political Situation
Guatemala has a long history of internal conflict and
violence, including a 36-year civil war (1960-1996). For
most of that period, the Guatemalan military held power
and repressed citizens’ human rights. An estimated 200,000
people were killed or disappeared during the civil conflict;
83% of the victims were Indigenous. In 1986, Guatemala
established a civilian democratic government, but military
repression continued. In 1996, then-President Álvaro Arzú
(1996-2000) and Guatemala’s main insurgent group, the
Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unit (URNG), signed
United Nations-mediated peace accords to end the conflict.
Nearly 30 years later, some of the goals put forth in the
accords, such as eradicating extreme poverty, integrating
Indigenous Guatemalans, and bolstering institutions,
remain unfulfilled. Successive governments have struggled
to strengthen the Guatemalan justice system to punish
perpetrators of grave human rights abuses and massive
corruption. Indigenous Guatemalans continue to face
poverty and social exclusion. Guatemala’s democratic
institutions remain fragile, largely due to high levels of
state capture by elites.
Current President Bernardo Arévalo, from the center-left
Movimiento Semilla party, won Guatemala’s 2023
presidential elections—capturing 58% of the vote—
following a tumultuous election period marred by alleged
irregularities and the disqualification of several leading
candidates. Since his inauguration in January 2024, Arévalo
has had trouble advancing his agenda, including anti-
corruption efforts. Arévalo’s Semilla party has 23 of 160
seats in Guatemala’s congress; in November 2023,
prosecutors suspended the party’s status and declared its
lawmakers as independents. In January 2025, Arévalo’s
approval rating stood at 39%, a decrease from 54% reported
in May 2024.
Arévalo also has had to contend with repeated legal
challenges from the Office of Attorney General María
Consuelo Porras. Officials in that office have engaged in
legal maneuvers against Arévalo since the election period
and throughout his term, including seeking to lift Arévalo’s
immunity from prosecution and ordering arrests of party
members, among other actions. Since 2021, the United
States has designated Porras and other top Guatemalan
prosecutors for allegedly obstructing high-profile
corruption investigations against some government
officials. At least 45 prosecutors and judges, including
many who worked with the U.S.-backed International
Commission Against Corruption in Guatemala (CICIG;
2007-2019), have fled Guatemala since 2018. Others have
been imprisoned.
Although constitutionally the President can remove the
Attorney General for a “duly justified cause,” a law (the
Ley Orgánica del Ministerio Público) requires due process
for the removal of the Attorney General. In accordance with
that law, Arévalo has filed criminal complaints against
Porras for abuse of authority and has proposed legal
reforms to remove the attorney general prior to the end of
her term in 2026.
Economic and Social Conditions
Guatemala has the largest economy in Central America,
with an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) of $112.4
billion in 2024, according to the International Monetary
Fund. Despite average real GDP growth of 3.5% per year
over the past decade, more than 55% of the population live
in poverty. Roughly 79% of Indigenous Guatemalans live
in poverty, many of whom reside in the Western highlands,
a high migrant-sending region of the country. Guatemala’s
tax-to-GDP ratio, which at 14.4% was the fourth lowest in
Latin America in 2022—severely limits the funds available
for public services and investments.
Guatemala is also home to one of the youngest populations
in Latin America, with more than 60% of citizens under 29
Guatemala at a Glance
Area: 42,000 square miles, about the size of Tennessee
Population: 18.1 million (2024, IMF est.)
Ethnic Composition: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish;
Ladino in local Spanish) 62.8%, Maya 34.9%, Xinka (Indigenous,
non-Maya) 2.1%, Garifuna 0.1%, foreign 0.1% (2018 est., INE)
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)/Per Capita GDP:
$112.4 billion/$6,300 (2024, current prices, IMF)
Key Import Partners: United States (29.1%), China
(19.7%), Mexico (10.2%), El Salvador (3.32%) (2024, TDM)
Key Export Partners: United States (31.9%), El Salvador
(13.4%), Honduras (11.5%), Nicaragua (7.27%) (2023, TDM)
Sources: International Monetary Fund (IMF); National
Statistics Institute of Guatemala (INE); Trade Data Monitor
(TDM).
