Del Rio Continues to Draw Top Government Leaders: A Diplomatic Hotspot

The Consulate of Guatemala in Del Rio accompanied their Minister of Foreign Affairs for a tour of the southern border with Del Rio Border Patrol

The Minister of Guatemala visited Del Rio over the weekend, just two weeks after VP JP Vance. Trump’s presidential initiatives have reignited Del Rio as a center stage for international diplomacy. Del Rio's strategic location has long made it a hub for trade and foreign relations. From ancient gatherings along the Rio Grande to the Southern Pacific Railroad and now its modern role as a trade port with international bridges, Del Rio has consistently served as a meeting point.

Del Rio hosts a Guatemalan and Mexican Consulate, which is an anomaly for a town this size. The next closest city that hosts both consulate offices is McAllen, and their population quadruples ours. We have the Del Rio Sector Border Patrol Headquarters, the Laughlin Air Force Base, and the Val Verde County Courthouse, making it an ideal place for high-level government officials to visit.

All 6 Diplomats from the Consulate of Guatemala in Del Rio accompanied their Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Ramiro Martínez, the Vice Minister from Guatemala City and the Guatemala Ambassador from D.C. They explored the border wall, took an air boat tour, and shared informal conversations with DPS.

The group went onto visit Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, TX. The Minister spent 24 hours in Del Rio, and one week in Texas visiting all 25 Guatemalan Consulates in the state. He was in Texas to assess the current migration dynamic and launch a new passport printing station in Dallas.

Air boats were included in the border tour. Photos by DPS.

US Border Patrol Del Rio Sector stated, “We discussed many topics related to border security, and then provided tours so they could see our outstanding agents do what they do best... protecting our border! It was a proactive meeting that reinforced the already positive working relationship our team has with the government of Guatemala.”

It is our people, Del Rio residents, who operate the military, police, and DPS field teams on the American Southern Border. Government officials want to take firsthand assessments of the situation. They seem to take quick little trips, just enough time to see how the community works. They are looking at the direct effects of their international policies.

Del Rio gives them a realistic picture of how national security affects local communities, a unique window into the truth. Which begs the question, who will visit next?