Central America and the Merida Initiative. Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Burton, and Members of the Subcommittee: Thank you for the opportunity to appear before this Subcommittee today to discuss the Central America portion of the Merida Initiative and the opportunity it represents for regional security cooperation among not only the countries of Central America, but also with the United States and Mexico. Drug trafficking, gang violence, crime, and human smuggling, all linked to Central America, now directly afflict many areas of the United States, while arms and cash flows move south across our border and through Mexico to sustain these criminal organizations. The United States has a compelling strategic interest in moving quickly to reinforce our partnership with Central America to check illicit activity in the region.

Domestic Violence Expert Shares Experience with Guatemalan Counterparts. Vivian Huelgo, social services director of Sanctuary for Families, a New York City-based center for abused women and children, participated in a series of conferences, site visits and meetings in Guatemala March 12-14. The visit was part of Embassy Guatemala’s celebration of International Women’s Month.

U.S. Multi-million Dollar Package to Assist Guatemala in the Fight Against Narcotraffic, Organized Crime.  U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala James M. Derham presented to Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom a $21 million aid package to be used over a two-year period. A key component of the assistance provided is the use and maintenance of four U.S. Huey II helicopters, which is expected to significantly bolster the Government of Guatemala's ability to fight narco-trafficking and organized crime. The official ceremony took place at the Presidential Hangar in Guatemala City.

• REMARKS - Ambassador James M. Derham at FIAAT Task Force Inauguration Ceremony

USAID Inaugurates its New Facilities in Guatemala.  U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala, James M. Derham, along with Guatemala’s Vice President, Rafael Espada, M.D., inaugurated on April 17 the building of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The new building is home to all USAID’s executive, administrative and programming offices in the country. It is located off borders with Guatemala City in the department of Guatemala (Km. 6.5 toward the end of Boulevard Los Próceres, in Santa Catarina Pinula).

• SPEECH - U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala James M. Derham at the Inaugural Ceremony of the New USAID’s Building
• SPEECH - USAID Director to Guatemala Wayne Nilsestuen
• PHOTOS - Visit Our Photo Gallery

President Bush Announces Intention to Nominate Stephen McFarland as U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala.  President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate Stephen McFarland, of Texas, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Guatemala.

U.S. Department of State Releases 2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.  At a March 11 press conference marking the public release of the annual 2007 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Rice said: “In every region of the world, men and women are working peacefully, and often at great risk to themselves and their families, to secure human rights and fundamental freedoms, to follow their consciences and speak their minds without fear, to choose those who would govern them and to hold their leaders accountable and to achieve equal justice under the law.

• GUATEMALA SECTION - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2007
• PREFACE - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2007
• REMARKS - Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice

Mercy Corps USAID and Wal-Mart Forge Alliance for Guatemalan Farmers.  The global relief and development organization Mercy Corps, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) and the Guatemalan nonprofit Fundación ÁGIL (Fundación Apoyo a la Generación de Ingresos Locales) today celebrated the launch of an alliance to improve the lives of small-scale farmers in Guatemala.

Sherman Bernard Brings Jazz From New Orleans To IGA.  New Orleans musicians Sherman Bernard and Lance Ellis, joined by Guatemalan musicians Rolando Guidiel ("Jechu") and Fernando Martin, jammed at the Guatemalan American Institute March 9-13 in a visit coordinated by the Embassy's Outreach Coordinator.

U.S. Department of State Releases 2008 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report.  The 2008 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) is an annual report by the Department of State to Congress prepared in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act. It describes the efforts of key countries to attack all aspects of the international drug trade in Calendar Year 2007. Volume I covers drug and chemical control activities. Volume II covers money laundering and financial crimes.

• GUATEMALA SECTION - Drug and Chemical Control
• GUATEMALA SECTION - Money Laundering and Financial Crimes

U.S. Commits Funding For Labor and Environmental Protection for Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement Countries.  The United States will commit $39.6 million of FY 2007 funds to help countries in the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) enhance labor and environmental protection practices. The new funding will complement activities underway that received $19.84 million in FY 2005 and $39.6 million in FY 2006. These activities, both local and regional in scope, were identified in consultation with partner governments to ensure they address each country’s priorities.

• FACT SHEET - CAFTA Labor Projects ($60 million during 2005-2007)
• FACT SHEET - CAFTA Environment Projects ($40 million during 2005-2007)

Historic Engagement by the United States in the Western Hemisphere During 2007. The year 2007 was one of positive and comprehensive U.S. engagement in the Western Hemisphere. Our engagement was built on the four pillars of our Americas policy: consolidating democracy, promoting prosperity, investing in people, and protecting the security of the democratic state.

Presidential Delegation to Guatemala Attended Inauguration of His Excellency Álvaro Colom. A Presidential Delegation to Guatemala designated by President George W. Bush visited the country to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency Álvaro Colom, President of the Republic of Guatemala, on January 14, 2008. The Honorable Michael O. Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services, led the delegation.

Application Fees for Non-Immigrant Visas to Increase on January 1, 2008. Effective January 1, 2008, the application fee for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa will increase from $100 to $131. This increase allows the U.S. Department of State to recover the costs of security and other enhancements to the non-immigrant visa application process. This increase applies both to non-immigrant visas issued on machine-readable foils in passports and to border crossing cards issued to certain applicants in Mexico.

The Importance of Applying Satellite Technology for the Preservation and Protection of Guatemalan Cultural Sites.  NASA’s Deputy Administrator Ms. Shana Dale will be visiting Guatemala along with a delegation of eight public officials from NASA including its Space Center, the Division of Earth Sciences, and the Office of Outreach. One of the key visitors is archeologist William Saturno, who discovered the San Bartolo archeological site and is now managing the preservation of the site. NASA is dedicated to help with the preservation and protection of cultural sites in Guatemala.

• IMAGE GALLERY - Exploring the Earth - Discovering the Maya
• BIOGRAPHY - NASA Deputy Administrator, Shana Dale

New Education USA Advising Center Established at IGA Xela in Guatemalan Highlands. The U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Office in Guatemala and the Institute of International Education are funding a new Education USA student advising center to open January 2 in the Guatemalan-American Institute (IGA) in Quetzaltenango (Xela), the unofficial capital of the Mayan highlands. The Xela Education USA center will be staffed by a full-time student advisor fluent in Quiché, Spanish and English who will travel the highlands, and by a part-time Xela advisor to reach out to the universities and urban audiences in Xela.

U.S. Deposits Instrument of Ratification of the Hague Adoption Convention. On the morning of December 12, 2007, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Maura Harty deposited the United States’ instrument of ratification of the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Hague Adoption Convention) at a ceremony in The Hague. Her remarks at the ceremony are available on the State Department’s Consular Affairs web site, http://www.travel.state.gov, under the “Speeches and Remarks” section.

Statement by the United States Embassy Regarding Passage of Adoption Law. "We congratulate the Guatemalan Congress on the important action of passing the adoption law.  The Government of the United States congratulates the president of Congress Ruben Dario Morales and the leaders of the political parties for this important action.  We look forward in working together as our countries implement the requirements of The Hague convention on adoptions."

Promising Future for the Development of Pacaya Volcano National Park. With the conservation of the Park in mind and in order to provide a better service for tourists, a technical group of staffers and authorities from the San Vicente Pacaya municipality, the Park's technical Director, an INGUAT official, lead by Lic. Carlos Joson, volunteer technician, and Ing. Flavio Linares, Director of the Peace Corps Ecotourism Project, with the support of the U.S. Embassy, recently visited Yosemite and Lassen Volcano parks in the state of California.

The U.s. Supports Guatemalan Counternarcotic and Justice Programs in 2007 with more than US$18 million. The purpose of this solidary support by the U.S. Government towards the Guatemalan Government is in contribution to strengthen Guatemalan society and its institutions, to combat narcotraffic and organized crime, allowing justice to prevail in Guatemala and the region.

The U.S. Supports Training to Generate Prosperity in Rural communities. The training seeks to prepare Guatemalans in rural areas to have access to markets and organization, establish improved productive processes and develop innovative lines of products that meet the demands of local and international markets, in benefit of the sustainable development of Guatemala.

Ambassador James M. Derham Presents Scholarships to Indigenous Undergraduates at UVG-Altiplano.  Ambassador James Derham and Rector Roberto Moreno of Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, presented two-year scholarships to 18 indigenous students from across Guatemala at the university campus in Sololá. The merit scholars from impoverished highlands families will receive basic tuition and room and board coverage through a cost-share agreement between the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section and the university.

Representatives of the Agricultural, Agroindustrial Sector meet with Biotechnology expert.  During a three-day visit to Guatemala, Hector Flores, a Ph.D. in Biology from Yale University, shared his scientific knowledge about biology and biotechnology with representatives of Guatemala’s economic, agricultural and agroindustrial sectors.

United States and Guatemala Extend Agreement to Protect Archaeological Heritage of Guatemala.  Effective September 29, 2007, this extension represents a continuation of cooperation that began in 1991 when emergency U.S. import restrictions were implemented to stem the problem of pillage of Guatemala's rich Maya heritage and the illicit trafficking in such material. The extension is consistent with a recommendation made by the Cultural Property Advisory Committee to the Department.

• STATEMENT - U.S. Department of State

President George W. Bush Visit to Guatemala. “Our two countries share many values. We both believe good governments must be accountable to the people they serve and subject to the rule of law. We both believe free enterprise and hard work help lead to prosperity, and we both believe our nations have a responsibility to spread opportunity and advance the cause of social justice."

Missing American Citizen Child and his Salvadoran Grandfather Could be in Guatemala. Nicolas Marcel Santin (13 years old) has been missing since December 2005. His maternal grandfather, Andres Santin Arguera (63 years old), has a warrant against him for international parental kidnapping. If you have information regarding them, please call the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala during working hours (502)2326-4405 or after working hours (502)2331-2354.