Catholic Church in Guatemala concerned with Trump’s migratory policies in the US.

On the occasion of its annual plenary assembly, which took place from January 20 to 24, the bishops of Guatemala reflected on the challenges that the country will face this year, highlighting their concern about the “migratory phenomenon” and the impact they could Have about this the executive orders signed by the president of the United States, Donald Trump, in recent days.

The prelates pointed out that since Trump’s position “migratory policies that are adverse to the situation of migrants have been formulated.” The decisions taken in Washington DC directly affect the Central American country, being a place of transit of thousands of migrants to the United States.

The episcopate regrets that the situation of migrants is marked “by suffering and pain”, which are aggravated when they are captured and deported. “The dream of a better future crumbles,” They said in their message, published on January 24.

“You have to recognize the value of the work of these heroes. The migrant brothers contributed to the country, in 2024, more than 21 billion dollars in remittances. This contribution of migrants is decisive for economic stability to be maintained, ”they added.

Throughout the four days of the meeting, the bishops also deepened the problem of child malnutrition, which in their opinion “is one of the causes of delay and lack of human development.” They recalled that food security “is a right for each person”, so they called the State to establish social policies aimed at eradicating this problem.

In Guatemala, they continued, a good part of the citizens do not have access to a good diet for various factors, among which “the lack of education” and “the lack of work” stand out.

In addition, they called the Government to attend the security crisis in the country, which generates in the citizens “an environment of insecurity and anxiety” that limits their daily activities “even under threats through social networks for criminal purposes.” In Guatemala, the bishops say, murders, extortion, kidnappings, robberies of all kinds and drug trafficking abound, especially in border areas.

In spite of everything, the hierarchy of the local church considers that the government of Bernardo Arévalo, during its first year in power, “has had some achievements, although little known to the general population.”

“However, it is still essential to demand that you respond to the demands that the population urges, especially in the specific infrastructure and health areas,” they added.

After reviewing the Guatemalan environmental problem, the bishops asked their parishioners to turn their gaze to the cross of Jesus, overcoming the difficulties of their reality and that can be considered as “signs of hopelessness.”

“We exhort all our brothers in faith to live this retirement experience with intensity,” they said. “That nothing takes away the impulse, but rather we are men and women who, given so much difficulty, we remain firm in hope in God,” they concluded.