(IMAGN) Mexican National Guard troops keep guard near the border wall near an area where U.S. troops worked on infrastructure in Tijuana, Mexico on March 4, 2025.
SAN DIEGO – The Guatemalan government has announced the deployment of military forces to its border with Mexico to combat “transnational crime” and protect its citizens.
Defense Minister Henry Sáenz stated that a “ring of fire” will be established along the border, involving both ground and aerial military presence.
The deployment, ordered by President Bernardo Arévalo de León, aims to address organized crime, drug trafficking, and human trafficking, which are among the president’s top priorities.
Troops are being sent primarily to the cities of San Marcos, Huehuetenango, and Petén, as well as the westernmost point of the border with the Mexican state of Chiapas.
While the Guatemalan Department of Defense did not disclose the number of personnel being deployed, Minister Sáenz indicated that the mission is to combat the trafficking of drugs, weapons, and people.
Neither Sáenz nor President Arévalo de León clarified whether the deployment was related to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent visit to the region.
