Guatemala Signs Agreement with United Kingdom to Boost MetroRiel Construction

Guatemala and the United Kingdom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at advancing the development of the MetroRiel passenger rail system. The agreement, signed on July 9, establishes a framework for cooperation between the two governments to support various stages of the project, including planning, technical and financial feasibility studies, design, construction, and operation. This collaboration also opens avenues for securing British financing for the MetroRiel's execution. The MoU was formally signed by the UK Ambassador to Guatemala, Juliana Correa Rivera, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Ramiro Martínez, with President Bernardo Arévalo attending as a witness. President Arévalo emphasized that infrastructure development directly impacts citizens' quality of life, stressing the importance of making decisions based on technical and long-term criteria. "Infrastructure changes lives. The right decisions, planned and technically founded, bring us closer and connect us," he stated, adding that his administration prioritizes strategic projects executed with planning, transparency, and without corruption. He acknowledged that the MetroRiel project, identified as a need decades ago, had stalled due to a lack of political will and long-term strategic vision. Arévalo views the MoU as the beginning of a process to secure specialized technical support for the MetroRiel and other infrastructure initiatives under a unified cooperation framework. Irene Flores, general manager of Ferrovías de Guatemala, noted that the MetroRiel has been promoted for over a decade, intending to utilize approximately 20 kilometers of existing railway right-of-way to offer a transport alternative between Guatemala City and neighboring municipalities. Flores cited a lack of specialized technical expertise in railway projects as a key factor hindering progress. She highlighted that the challenge extends beyond construction to developing an efficient, safe, and sustainable service system, with international companies rigorously evaluating project viability.

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Infrastructure changes lives. The right decisions, planned and technically founded, bring us closer and connect us.