U.S. Sends First Military Gear to Guatemala Since 1977, Ending Long-standing Arms Embargo
The United States delivered a shipment of weapons and night-operations equipment to Guatemala, marking the first transfer since the late 1970s and ending a decades-old embargo.
President Bernardo Arevalo announced that the United States has supplied Guatemala with a new batch of military equipment, including M4 rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers and night-operations kits for special forces. This delivery ends an embargo on U.S. arms that began in 1977, when sales were suspended because of serious human-rights abuses during Guatemala’s civil war. Officials say the weapons are meant to help combat drug-cartel activity and safeguard the population.
The embargo had been in place for nearly five decades, reflecting lingering concerns about past violations by security forces. The shipment represents a shift in U.S. policy toward greater security cooperation with the Central American nation.
Why it matters
The deal signals a policy shift, allowing Guatemala to receive U.S. weapons to fight drug cartels after a 50-year embargo.
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