AGP Executive Report

Logistics & Trade: Crowley announced a new weekly container service linking Port Houston with Santo Tomás de Castilla (Guatemala) and Puerto Cortés (Honduras), starting Sept. 10, to move dry and refrigerated cargo like fresh produce, apparel, industrial goods and consumer items with fewer transshipments. Food Security: A UN report says hunger in Latin America fell for a fifth straight year, with the Dominican Republic the last country to reach “zero hunger,” while Guatemala remains among the hardest-hit in Mesoamerica. Manufacturing & Jobs: El Salvador’s export momentum in H1 2026 was led by manufacturing, including food processing and apparel, with Guatemala highlighted as a key buyer in Central American trade. Industry Partnerships: Arkansas National Guard’s long-running State Partnership Program with Guatemala earned top honors, including Strategic Partnership of the Year, with support for cyber defenses and counter-narcotics training. Culture & Media: Prime Video revealed a $2B+ Latin America investment plan (2027-2030), expanding local originals and adding Guatemala to new digital store options.

Logistics & Trade: Crowley announced a new weekly container service linking Port Houston with Santo Tomás de Castilla (Guatemala) and Puerto Cortés (Honduras), starting Sept. 10, with refrigerated and dry cargo for fresh produce, apparel, industrial goods and consumer items—aimed at cutting transshipments and speeding Central America–U.S. supply chains. Manufacturing & Skills: American Textile Company (ATC) is investing in El Salvador’s workforce through a 32-year partnership with Confecciones del Valle, funding the ¡Supérate! education program for high-achieving students—an example of how regional textile supply chains are tying production to training. Food Security: A new FAO-linked analysis flags persistent food insecurity in Mesoamerica despite higher global crop output, with Guatemala’s Indigenous communities hit hardest. Industry & Community: Guatemala’s UN-backed push for microcredentials is taking shape via UTEC and UNESCO IESALC, building institutional models that could support future industrial training pipelines. Culture & Media: Prime Video says it will invest $2B+ in Latin America from 2027–2030, expanding local originals and sports rights—plans that include Guatemala among new markets. Immigration Pressure: About 800 migrants left Tapachula toward Mexico City seeking jobs and faster regularization, including many from Guatemala.

Port & Logistics: Crowley launched the Gulf-Central America Express Service with weekly container calls from Port Houston to Santo Tomás de Castilla, Guatemala, and Puerto Cortés, Honduras, starting Sept. 10, carrying dry and refrigerated cargo for produce, apparel, industrial and consumer goods. Manufacturing & Trade: A new report on El Salvador’s export surge highlights how regional supply chains are moving, with Guatemala showing up as a key Central American Common Market partner. Security Partnerships: The Arkansas National Guard won top State Partnership Program honors for its 23-year Guatemala partnership, including cyber defense support and counter-narcotics K-9 training. Food & Agriculture: FAO data flags persistent food insecurity in Mesoamerica, with Guatemala’s Indigenous Highlands among the hardest hit. Media & Culture: Prime Video announced a $2B+ Latin America investment plan (2027-2030) that includes Guatemala in expanded digital offerings. Local Spotlight: Miss Universe Belize 2026 faced production backlash after Tikal imagery was used during a heritage segment, leading to the National Director’s resignation.

Streaming Investment: Prime Video says it will pour more than $2bn into Latin America from 2027-2030, doubling local originals across Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile, and expanding sports and local creative infrastructure. Logistics & Trade: Crowley launches a weekly container service from Port Houston to Santo Tomás de Castilla, Guatemala, and Puerto Cortés, Honduras, carrying dry and refrigerated cargo for time-sensitive supply chains. Food Security: FAO-linked reporting highlights worsening food insecurity in Mesoamerica, with Guatemala cited at 48.8%—a pressure point for small-scale, Indigenous farming communities. Skills & Education: UTEC and UNESCO IESALC lay groundwork for an institutional microcredentials model, with teams developing prototypes tied to areas like sustainability and industrial process management. Energy/Agri Industry: ACE leadership discusses ethanol policy issues, including E15 and export opportunities, naming Guatemala among markets with new mandates. Micro & Human Impact: Coverage also flags Guatemala-linked forced-adoption history and broader regional migration detention debates.

Port & Logistics: Crowley launched a new weekly container service linking Port Houston with Santo Tomás de Castilla (Guatemala) and Puerto Cortés (Honduras), aiming to speed transits for fresh produce, apparel, industrial and consumer goods. Port Development: DP World’s Port of Posorja (Ecuador) won the AAPA Port Industry Excellence Award for Public-Private Partnerships for a second straight year, after major berth expansion plans. Central America Trade: Belize saw nearly 1,760 cross-border shoppers during its GST-free back-to-school day, with thousands of passenger movements into Guatemala’s Melchor de Mencos for school supplies. Agribusiness: UK data shows Guatemala’s banana prices rose about 5% week-on-week, while other origins were mostly stable. Industry Policy: Dominican Republic senators proposed banning goods produced through forced labor, including practices like withholding migrant workers’ documents. Guatemala Governance & Democracy: Coverage highlights how changes in Guatemala’s public prosecutor’s office are being framed as a fresh push for democratic momentum. Human Rights & Mining: Indigenous communities in South Kivu (DRC) are organizing to protect land rights amid mining expansion, with women leading documentation of abuses. Ethanol Industry: U.S. ethanol leaders discussed E15 and Renewable Fuel Standard issues, plus export opportunities including Guatemala mandates.

Logistics & Trade: Crowley says it will launch a weekly container service from Port Houston to Santo Tomás de Castilla (Guatemala) and Puerto Cortés (Honduras), with dry and refrigerated capacity aimed at fresh produce and time-sensitive cargo, first sailing Sept. 10. Visa Policy: The U.S. State Department is testing a $750 fast-track fee for certain B-1/B-2 tourist/business visa applicants at select posts, including Embassy Guatemala City, with expedited interviews but no visa guarantee. Construction Materials: El Salvador’s cement imports hit a 30-year high, with China emerging as the top supplier as building activity accelerates across the country. Agribusiness: UK data shows Guatemala banana prices rose 5% week-over-week, while most other origins stayed stable. Food & Retail Cross-Border: Belize reported nearly 1,760 shoppers crossing into Melchor de Mencos, Guatemala during its first GST-free back-to-school day, underscoring the region’s school-supplies trade pull. Cybersecurity: A regional ranking places Guatemala at 39% cyber resilience, behind Costa Rica (53%) and the Dominican Republic (54%), highlighting ongoing investment needs.

Logistics & Trade: Crowley is launching a weekly container service from Port Houston to Santo Tomás de Castilla (Guatemala) and Puerto Cortés (Honduras), with refrigerated and dry capacity aimed at faster routes for fresh produce, apparel, industrial and consumer goods. Agribusiness: UK data shows Guatemala’s banana average price rose 5% week-on-week to £0.99, while Costa Rica dipped slightly to £0.95—signals of shifting supply and pricing pressure in key export channels. Construction Materials: El Salvador’s cement imports hit a 30-year high, with hydraulic cement and clinker imports up 39% in the first half of 2026; Guatemala is cited as a supporting regional supplier. Guatemala Governance: Guatemala’s new attorney general, Gabriel García Luna, is moving to “clean house” after years of corruption allegations in the Public Prosecutor’s Office, including reviewing cases tied to the prior administration. Climate & Crops: NOAA says El Niño has a 93% chance of reaching “very strong” levels by Sep–Nov, with Central America among regions likely to feel near-term rainfall impacts. Visa Policy (Regional Impact): The U.S. State Department is testing a $750 expedited appointment fee for certain tourist/business visa interviews, including at the Guatemala City embassy.

Cross-Border School Shopping: Belize reported nearly 1,760 travelers crossing into Guatemala’s Melchor de Mencos during its first GST-free back-to-school day on Aug. 15, with about 4,900 passenger movements recorded across Aug. 15–16 as families chased lower prices on uniforms and supplies ahead of the Aug. 29 final GST-free date. Public Prosecutor Reform: Guatemala’s new attorney general, Gabriel García Luna, is moving to “clean house” after years of corruption allegations in the Public Prosecutor’s Office, including case reviews and coordination with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. UN Business & Human Rights Visit: A UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights will conduct its first official visit to Guatemala Aug. 18–28, meeting ministries, Indigenous communities, unions, and industry groups to assess how companies and the state meet UN Guiding Principles obligations. Construction Materials Trade: El Salvador’s cement imports hit a 30-year high, with first-half 2026 hydraulic cement and clinker imports up 39% year over year, while China’s supply share surged. Cyber Resilience Benchmark: Costa Rica ranked second in the region’s cyber resilience index, while Guatemala placed at 39%, underscoring the gap in ongoing investment and modernization.

Guatemala Business & Rights: The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights will make its first official visit to Guatemala from Aug. 18–28, meeting ministries, Indigenous communities, unions, and industry groups to review how companies and the government handle human rights duties under the UN Guiding Principles. Agribusiness & Trade: UK banana prices stayed broadly stable, but Guatemala stood out with the biggest weekly move—up 5% to an average of £0.99. Construction Materials: El Salvador’s cement imports hit a 30-year high in the first half of 2026, with China emerging as the top supplier—good news for regional supply chains that include Guatemala. Governance & Industry Oversight: Guatemala’s attorney general office is in focus as the public prosecutor’s leadership shifts, with observers watching whether anti-corruption reforms will hold. Logistics & Industry: A global logistics market session highlighted how carriers are adjusting contracts for geopolitics and price volatility—relevant for Guatemala’s exporters and manufacturers.

Guatemala Governance & Rule of Law: Guatemala’s new attorney general, Gabriel García Luna, is moving to reverse years of corruption in the Public Prosecutor’s Office, ousting key allies of former chief prosecutor María Consuelo Porras and reviewing politically entangled cases, with an early August hearing involving the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Business & Human Rights Oversight: The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights will visit Guatemala from 18–28 August to assess how government and companies are meeting UN Guiding Principles duties, including meetings with Indigenous communities, unions, and industry groups across multiple departments. Industry & Trade/Construction: El Salvador’s construction boom is driving cement and clinker imports to a 30-year high, with China emerging as the top supplier and Guatemala among key regional sources—an indicator of Central America’s materials demand. Sustainability & Community Action: In Jalapa, rural Indigenous Xinca communities are organizing plastic cleanups and training on reducing plastic combustion impacts on women and children, supported by Ecolectivos research partners. Regional Logistics: Heavy Lift Group members say volatile geopolitics and supply chain congestion require flexible contracts and early market monitoring to avoid costly project delays.

Guatemala Governance & Rule of Law: Guatemala’s new attorney general, Gabriel García Luna, is moving to reverse years of alleged corruption in the Public Prosecutor’s Office, including ousting key allies and reviewing politically entangled cases, with UN human rights engagement planned. UN Human Rights & Business: The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights will visit Guatemala Aug. 18–28 to assess how government and companies handle human rights duties, meeting ministries, Indigenous communities, unions, and industry groups. Construction & Materials (Regional): El Salvador’s construction boom is driving cement and clinker imports to a 30-year high, with China emerging as the top supplier—an indicator of demand pressures and supply-chain shifts across Central America. Agriculture & Climate Risk: NOAA says El Niño has a high chance of reaching “very strong” levels by late 2026, with impacts expected across Central America and major farming regions. Sustainability on the Ground: In Jalapa, rural Xinca communities are organizing plastic cleanups and training to cut waste and reduce harmful burning effects on women and children. Trade & Supply Chains: A UN-backed push for forced-labor import bans is gaining traction in the Dominican Republic, with textiles, agriculture, mining, and construction flagged as higher-risk sectors.

Business & Human Rights: UN experts will visit Guatemala from 18–28 August to assess how the government and companies are meeting their responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, with meetings across multiple departments and a press conference set for 28 August. Construction & Exports: The Dominican Republic is leading Latin America and the Caribbean in cement, lime and gypsum exports, with 2025 regional exports reaching US$581.3m and the Dominican share at 25.4%, ahead of Mexico and Guatemala—highlighting pressure for local industrial competitiveness. Sustainability & Agriculture: A Guatemala-linked team is part of SUSTAINCrop, an EU-funded effort to measure the environmental footprint of crops used for bio-based industry, aiming to support farmers, companies and policymakers with better sustainability decisions. Community Environment: In Jalapa, rural Xinca communities are tackling plastic waste through workshops and community cleanups led by local promotora Soila Elizabeth Cruz, supported by Ecolectivos research on health impacts from plastic burning. Regional Economy: El Salvador reported the fastest Central America growth in May (5.39% YoY), outpacing Guatemala (3.72%), with construction and housing-related finance cited as key drivers.

Solar & Power Regulation: Guatemala updated rules for distributed solar systems up to 5 MW, a move that could speed up small-scale generation projects and grid planning. Agri-Industry Sustainability: CONICET joined SUSTAINCrop, a EU-backed effort to measure the environmental footprint of industrial crops for a more sustainable bioeconomy, with coordination involving Guatemala’s University of San Pablo. Food & Health Supply Chains: Reports on Cyclospora outbreaks point to contamination risks tied to human waste, keeping pressure on food safety and sanitation practices. Community Waste Management: In Jalapa, rural Xinca communities are running plastic-reduction cleanups after workshops on the health impacts of burning plastic, with local women leading the effort. Logistics & Aid Delivery: FedEx and Feed the Children delivered hygiene kits and WASH education to 6,300 students in Guatemala and other countries, supporting school readiness. Cross-Border Finance: Western Union secured commitments in New York to keep remittance services available and cap fee increases after its Intermex acquisition. Immigration Enforcement Fallout: A Houston case continues to draw scrutiny after federal tests reportedly found a substance in a deportation-related shooting van was not meth.

Plastic Waste & Health: In Jalapa’s Xinca mountain villages, women led by “promotora” Soila Elizabeth Cruz are organizing community cleanups every few months to cut plastic litter and reduce harmful plastic burning, supported by Ecolectivos research teams. Deportations & Public Safety: DHS highlighted recent removals of “criminal illegal aliens,” including a Guatemalan deported Aug. 4, while separate reporting describes how ICE raids and deportation uncertainty are pushing day laborers into desperation. Guatemala Solar Regulation: Guatemala updated rules for distributed solar projects up to 5 MW, signaling continued momentum for small-scale generation. Disaster Watch: A rare hailstorm left snow-like ice across western highland areas, prompting emergency monitoring for damage to crops and infrastructure. Agri & Bioeconomy Collaboration: Guatemala’s University of San Pablo joins a EU-funded SUSTAINCrop effort to assess the environmental footprint of industrial crops for biomaterials, aiming to support a more sustainable bioeconomy. Food & Logistics Aid: FedEx and Feed the Children delivered hygiene kits and WASH education to 1,500 children and adolescents in Guatemala as part of Clean Futures Alliance.

Energy & Infrastructure: Guatemala’s regulators updated rules for distributed solar projects up to 5 MW, a move that could speed up small-scale generation and grid-linked investment. Agribusiness & Trade: El Salvador posted the fastest Central America growth in May (+5.39% y/y), with construction leading (+9.7%)—a regional signal for demand that Guatemala exporters will watch closely. Food Safety: A major U.S. cyclosporiasis wave linked to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms is driving recalls and renewed scrutiny of produce supply chains. Logistics & Aid: FedEx and Feed the Children delivered hygiene kits and WASH education to 6,300 students in Guatemala, supporting school readiness through sanitation supplies. Public Works & Climate Risk: A rare hailstorm brought snow-like ice to Guatemala’s western highlands, prompting emergency monitoring for damage to crops and infrastructure. Finance & Remittances: Western Union secured commitments to keep New York remittance services available and cap fee increases after its Intermex acquisition, underscoring how cross-border payments are being regulated.

Renewables Rule Update: Guatemala’s National Electric Energy Commission (CNEE) issued Resolution CNEE-230-2026, setting a new technical standard for connecting and operating renewable distributed generation up to 5 MW, with clearer connection timelines, digital tracking for developers, and new rules for cost allocation and grid-capacity mapping. Disaster Watch: A rare hailstorm left snow-like scenes across Guatemala’s western highlands, prompting emergency monitoring for damage to streets, temples, and short-cycle crops. Food Safety & Health: Guatemala-linked hygiene support made headlines as FedEx and Feed the Children delivered WASH kits and sanitation education to 1,500 children in Palencia and Sololá. Regional Economy: El Salvador reported 5.39% year-over-year growth in May, with construction leading, while Guatemala posted 3.72%—a reminder of how infrastructure spending can move jobs and demand. Security & Migration Pressure: Reports from the U.S. describe intensified immigration enforcement and deportations involving people from Guatemala, while another story highlights how raids are pushing day laborers into desperation.