Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols will travel to Guatemala and El Salvador from October 23-27, 2023.
In Guatemala, the Assistant Secretary will meet with President-elect Bernardo Arévalo and Foreign Minister Mario Búcaro to discuss the presidential transition process. Specifically, Assistant Secretary Nichols will discuss the need to ensure a peaceful democratic transition in January and prioritize dialogue among all actors as a means to resolving the country's political crisis. He will also discuss continued efforts to collaborate on migration management.
During his visit to Guatemala, the Assistant Secretary will engage with leaders of Indigenous communities, private sector representatives, and human rights defenders to discuss the importance of their voices in the political process. These conversations will also focus on inclusive economic prosperity and the investment climate in Guatemala. Across all meetings, the Assistant Secretary will emphasize the United States' ongoing commitment to the Guatemalan people and interest in partnering to advance security, prosperity, and rule of law.
In El Salvador, Assistant Secretary Nichols will meet with President Nayib Bukele and other Salvadoran officials to discuss inclusive economic prosperity, the rule of law, human rights, migration cooperation and security. The Assistant Secretary will visit the Human Rights Institute at the University of Central America. He will also meet with business leaders to discuss economic growth and the investment climate in El Salvador.
Assistant Secretary Nichols' visits to Guatemala and El Salvador demonstrate the United States' steadfast commitment to promoting democracy, inclusive economic prosperity, collaborative migration management, and the protection of human rights in the region.
