(L-R): José Gabriel Lambour Peñalonzo, Ambassador of Guatemala accredited to Luxembourg; PM Luc Frieden; Carlos Ramiro Martinez, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala; Xavier Bettel, Deputy PM;
Credit: MAE
On Monday 2 June 2026, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, also the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Minister of Cooperation and Humanitarian Action, received the Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Ramiro Martínez, during a working visit to Luxembourg.
This meeting strengthened bilateral relations between the two countries in the political, economic and development cooperation spheres.
The two ministers signed a general cooperation agreement between Luxembourg and Guatemala. This important step establishes the institutional, legal and financial framework necessary for the implementation of development cooperation projects and opens new perspectives for the partnership between the two countries. Luxembourg, through its embassy in Costa Rica, for which co-accreditation in Guatemala is currently under consideration, continues to progressively strengthen its development cooperation relations in Central America, within the framework of a regional approach.
The ministers also exchanged views on the main current regional and international issues. They emphasised their commitment to multilateralism, the promotion and protection of human rights, and the central role of a strong and effective United Nations system. They reiterated their shared commitment to peace, international law and respect for the sovereignty of states, particularly in the context of the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Minister Bettel reaffirmed Luxembourg's support for Guatemala's efforts to strengthen democracy and the independence of the judiciary, and welcomed the progress made recently in these areas.
The discussions also focused on opportunities for economic cooperation and investment between the two countries.
During his visit, Minister Carlos Ramiro Martínez also held discussions with Prime Minister Luc Frieden, members of the Committee on Foreign and European Affairs, Cooperation, Foreign Trade and the Greater Region of the Chamber of Deputies, as well as with representatives of the NGO Support for Autonomous Development and the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology.
