Guatemalan government tied to the Palestinian Genocide

Bernardo Arévalo’s government finances the genocide in Gaza by purchasing weapons from Israel.

An investigation by the Guatemalan media outlet No Ficción revealed how Bernardo Arévalo’s government has committed to the purchase of more than $10.3 million worth of arms from Israel.

In April 2023, Alejandro Giammattei’s, the previous president of Guatemala, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Cooperation between the Guatemalan Ministry of Defense and the Israeli Ministry of Defense. This agreement is valid for 10 years.

President Arévalo has guaranteed this contract for the purchase of military equipment from the Israeli government, including weapons, ammunition, radio communications equipment, special military equipment, humanitarian aid equipment, and night vision binoculars.

The signed cooperation agreement includes agreements with Elbit Systems and Marom Dolphin, both of which were identified in a United Nations report as companies involved in the «genocide economy» in Gaza.

Since the start of the Gaza offensive in 2023, Elbit Systems has increased its profits by more than 30%.

Marom Dolphin, for its part, was the company responsible for distributing armored vests, helmets, medical equipment, and tents to the Israeli army. It also provided equipment to civilian reservists.

According to Francesa Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine: «Since 2023, Elbit Systems has closely cooperated in Israeli military operations and nominated key personnel in the Ministry of Defense. It was also awarded the 2024 Israeli Defense Prize.»

The rapporteur stated that “corporate actors are deeply intertwined with the employment system, apartheid genocide in the occupied Palestinian territory.”

Albanese urged states to impose a comprehensive arms embargo, suspend trade agreements with Israel, and hold companies accountable for human rights violations as a way to stop the genocide in Gaza.

Countries such as Spain and the United Kingdom have terminated contracts with companies targeted by the UN.

More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive against the Gaza Strip.