Developing Guatemala with Passion and Determination
A career diplomat, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and experienced lawyer who has acted as legal advisor of her country and other Latin American countries in a number of trade disputes before the World Trade Organization is now the Ambassador of Guatemala to the Netherlands, H.E. Ms. Marithza Ruiz de Vielman.
“The Netherlands is the gateway to Europe. Our products are shipped to the Netherlands to be distributed in this country and throughout Europe. Guatemala produces high quality fresh fruits and vegetables, and we would like to take advantage of new technologies that are available in the Netherlands to expand commercial relations with Dutch companies in other areas.”
Ambassador Ruiz de Vielman feels the decision taken some time ago by the Dutch government to close down their Embassy in her country “fails to promote the conditions required to meet the challenges that Guatemala faces after signing the peace accords in December of 1996 to put an end to an internal armed conflict that lasted over 36 years. Re-opening the embassy in Guatemala would send a positive message, and show that the Kingdom of the Netherlands is willing to walk with us the road to development and prosperity.”
Guatemala is a multiethnic, multicultural, multilingual society “whose people take great pride in their Maya heritage, acknowledged as great mathematicians and astrologers, who built important urban centers in northern Guatemala.” said Ambassador Ruiz de Vielman.
The ambassador of Guatemala to the Netherlands is also accredited before the International Court of Justice, and as she declared during this interview, “the case that Guatemala may bring against Belize before the ICJ regarding her country’s territorial, insular and maritime rights is a professional challenge and a personal privilege for someone who like herself has been working on the issue for most of her professional life. Because efforts to find an amicable solution to the dispute failed, Belize and Guatemala signed a special agreement to submit Guatemala’s claims to the ICJ. They further agreed that separate referenda, i.e. consultation or popular vote, must be convened in both countries prior to submitting the case to the ICJ. Guatemala held a referendum on April 15th, and 96% of the votes cast approved the decision to submit the case to the ICJ. For its part, Belize announced that its own referendum will be held on the 10th of April 2019.”
Ambassador Ruiz de Vielman added a final thought on the Belize issue saying she would like to be remembered in her country for her commitment and dedication to the case during more than two decades, particularly during her tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala
In closing, she explained the broad and complex agenda she is pursuing to strengthen the ties between Guatemala and the Netherlands, such as water management projects, protection of the environment, gender rights, the rights of women and children, promoting non-violence, and most of all, ensuring market access and investment opportunities for Dutch and Guatemalan entities
To have H.E. Marithza Ruiz de Vielman posted here just confirms the famous phrase: “We send our best to The Hague.”
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The interview with H.E. Marithza Ruiz de Vielman, has been held at Hotel del Indes an emblematic historic hotel in The Hague, symbol of Dutch beauty, tradition and class, charm and character, elegance and grandeur with more than 132 years of credentials: www.hoteldesindes.nl
