Department of Defense Spokesman Lt. Col. Devin T. Robinson provided the following readout:
On June 5, 2024, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs Ms. Rebecca Zimmerman co-chaired the 7th annual U.S. – Guatemala Defense Bilateral Working Group with Guatemala's Minister of Defense Henry Saenz. The meeting took place at the Inter-American Defense College on Fort McNair in Washington, D.C.
The U.S.-Guatemala Defense Bilateral Working Group is an established defense dialogue that guides the U.S. – Guatemala defense relationship and our security cooperation. The forum is a mechanism to discuss strategic-level defense issues and to explore future cooperation activities in the areas of defense and security.
A/ASD Zimmerman and Minister Saenz discussed: (1) U.S.-Guatemala defense priorities; (2) Defense Sector Institution Building; (3) Human Rights; (4) Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response; (4) Cyber Defense; (5) Border Security/Territorial Sovereignty; and (6) the Role of the Women in the Military. The leaders also discussed concerning trends involving malign state actors in the region and underscored the importance of education and civilian-military relations while advancing anti-corruption initiatives and improving transparency. The two leaders affirmed the importance of upholding the highest standards of respect for democratic norms, the rule of law, and human rights in all aspects of the bilateral defense relationship.