https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2021/12/08/2003769213
The Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei spoke at the Heritage Foundation this week in Washington, in which he used the opportunity to separate his own country from his fellow Central American counterparts. The Guatemalan President went into the friendship and alliance with the United States, and exemplified that with his continual support of Taiwan and their own sovereignty, over that of recognizing China as the rightful sovereign controllers of the Pacific island. He then took jabs and explained how this is very different to that of nearly every other Central American country, and that they are “the only ones left.” This is very important to note for two different reasons, firstly with the implications of other countries changing their stances, such as El Salvador and the Dominican Republic, to China. The United States has maintained hegemony in this particular region for arguably over a century now and the concept, not only that China is gaining leverage, but also in a region so close to our own, should be taken precautionarily by the US government. I see this own move by the Guatemalan President to show his support, unlike his fellow Central American countries as not without personal motive. Guatemala particularly is playing an up close and personal role with the migrant crisis and depends heavily on the US ability to take in migrants, as they usually end up being sent back or cut off by the Mexican authorities who know they have nowhere to go, in Guatemala. It would make sense for Guatemala specifically, to not want to anger or upset the US in any way. I see this, in its relation to international relations, as a sign of realism, masked as liberalism. Furthermore, while many individuals might support idealism, many state actors who “stand for democracy regardless” can even do so strictly from a realist point of view, void of any ideology. Guatemala clearly enjoys much American sustainability and aid, and as with the migrant crisis, is different to other Central American states in other ways. It is particularly poorer than a state like Panama and receives money from the US. Do we think that when Alejandro Giammattei came to Washington, D.C. the point he felt he needed to get across was his support for Taiwan? More likely he came, and in diplomacy, as one sometimes does on diplomatic trips, shows solidarity and support for another country’s causes.