Guatemala
Guatemala is an example to be followed by other States, as it has adhered to all of the seven key treaties in the legal architecture on disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in addition to being party to a nuclear-weapon-free zone (NWFZ) treaty.
TPNW Status
| Key weapons of mass destruction treaties | ||
|---|---|---|
| NUCLEAR WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the TPNW | Yes (Ratified 2022) | |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Ratified 1970) | |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2012) | |
| Party to an NWFZ | Yes (Ratified 1970, Tlatelolco) | |
| CSA with the IAEA | Yes (In force 1982) | |
| AP with the IAEA | Yes (In force 2008) | |
| BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Ratified 1973) | |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 2003) | |
| TPNW Art. 1(1) prohibitions: Compliance in 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Develop, produce, manufacture, acquire | Compliant |
| Possess or stockpile | Compliant | |
| Test | Compliant | |
| (b) | Transfer | Compliant |
| (c) | Receive transfer or control | Compliant |
| (d) | Use | Compliant |
| Threaten to use | Compliant | |
| (e) | Assist, encourage or induce | Compliant |
| (f) | Seek or receive assistance | Compliant |
| (g) | Allow stationing, installation, deployment | Compliant |
| TPNW voting and participation | |
|---|---|
| UNGA resolution on TPNW (latest vote) | Voted yes (2025) |
| Participated in 3MSP (2025) | Yes |
| Participated in 2MSP (2023) | Yes |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | Yes (observer) |
| Average MSP delegation size (% women) | 4 (58.%) |
| Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) | Voted yes |
| Participated in TPNW negotiations (2017) | Yes |
| Negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) | Voted yes |
| Fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Nuclear facilities | No |
| Fissile material production | No |
| HEU stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
| SQP with the IAEA | Yes (Revised) |
Latest developments
At the Third Meeting of States Parties (3MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in March 2025, Guatemala said that the Treaty represents a collective ‘commitment to a safer future, free from the constant threat of nuclear weapons, which endanger all of humanity’.1
‘[P]eace is not an impossible dream, but a shared responsibility,’ it stressed. ‘We cannot allow the future of humanity to hang by a thread due to the threat of nuclear war. It is up to us to choose the path of dialogue, cooperation, and disarmament.’
At the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Preparatory Committee meeting in April 2025, Guatemala said: ‘Given the worrying lack of progress in nuclear disarmament, the entry into force of the [TPNW] represents a hopeful milestone. This instrument has demonstrated that political will and multilateral commitment can translate into concrete achievements.’2
At a high-level event on 26 September 2025 to mark the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Guatemala warned that nuclear weapons pose ‘an existential threat to humankind’, emphasizing that the only ‘absolute guarantee’ against their use is their total elimination. ‘Instead of progress [towards that goal], we see setbacks in the disarmament agenda,’ it said.3
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2025, Guatemala reaffirmed ‘its commitment to the common goal of a world free of nuclear weapons’, describing itself as ‘a staunch advocate of general and complete disarmament’. ‘[Guatemala’s] commitment to nuclear disarmament is reaffirmed through its participation as a State Party to the international treaties on this matter,’ it said.4
Guatemala co-sponsored the 2025 UN General Assembly resolution on the TPNW, which welcomed the Treaty’s entry into force and called upon ‘all States that have not yet done so to sign, ratify, accept, approve, or accede to the Treaty at the earliest possible date’.5
Recommendations
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Guatemala should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
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Guatemala should ensure that all of the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures.