Guatemala President-Elect Says U.S. Agreement Not Sustainable

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) —
guatemala elections
Presidential candidate Alejandro Giammatei shows his ink-stained finger after casting his vote at a polling station, Sunday. (Reuters/Jose Cabezas)

Guatemala President-elect Alejandro Giammattei says that his country isn’t able to hold up its side of an immigration agreement with the United States as it is currently written.

Giammattei told Mexico’s Televisa network Tuesday he’d analyze the agreement, which would require asylum seekers from other countries transiting Guatemala to seek asylum there first. The idea is to ease the number of asylum seekers arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Outgoing President Jimmy Morales signed the agreement last month with President Donald Trump’s administration. Giammattei has been saying that Guatemala isn’t in a position to receive the asylum seekers.

He didn’t say what changes are needed.

Giammettai will take office Jan. 14. The agreement designated Guatemala as a “safe third country,” despite thousands of Guatemalans migrating to the U.S. border this year.

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