Republic of Guatemala Foreign Minister Harold Caballeros led a delegation to Taiwan to take part in the inauguration ceremonies here for the 13th-term president and vice president. On the afternoon of May 19, the delegation went to the Presidential Office to meet with President Ma Ying-jeou. Also attending the meeting were Vice President-elect Wu Den-yih and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Shen-Yeaw Ko (柯森耀).
While meeting with Foreign Minister Caballeros, the president remarked that Mr. Caballeros has a doctorate in theology from Harvard University and previously served as Secretary General of the Vision con Valores Party. He is the founder of El Shaddai Ministries, and is also the founder and president of the Universidad San Pablo de Guatemala, the president noted. Mr. Caballeros, the president said, is very accomplished both academically and in his career, and is also an outstanding Guatemalan political leader, theologian, and educator.
President Ma noted that President Otto Perez Molina of Guatemala has a military background and during his runs for the presidency in 2007 and 2011 campaigned on the platforms of "iron-fisted measures" and "security." During his inauguration address on January 14 of this year, he vowed to change Guatemala in order to bring new hope to the people of his nation. President Ma added that he strongly supports President Perez's policy of working for the benefit of the people, and he also congratulated President Perez for the approval that he has received from the people of Guatemala.
The president commented that President Perez was elected in November of last year and took office two months later. President Ma had asked ROC Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Chin-tien Yang (楊進添) to attend the inauguration ceremonies as his envoy. During the visit, Foreign Minister Yang and President Perez met twice, and on both occasions President Perez reiterated Guatemala's commitment to maintaining its traditionally friendly alliance with the ROC. In addition, after the inauguration of President Perez, Guatemalan First Lady Rosa Maria Leal de Perez Molina visited Taiwan from March 18 to March 22 together with Cecilia Arimany Tejada de Caballeros, the wife of Foreign Minister Caballeros. Expressing deep appreciation for the fact that Foreign Minister Caballeros and Mrs. Caballeros are representing President Perez during the inauguration ceremonies, President Ma said he would like to take advantage of this opportunity to reaffirm that the ROC is a loyal friend to Guatemala. He further added that the ROC stands by its promise to continue to promote bilateral cooperation projects in conjunction with the Guatemalan government in order to promote greater wellbeing for the people of the two countries. During the meeting, President Ma also extended a sincere invitation for President and Mrs. Perez to visit Taiwan at a convenient time.
In addition to Foreign Minister Caballeros and Mrs. Caballeros, the delegation included Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Hector Ivan Espinoza Farfan, Ambassador of the Republic of Guatemala to Russia Arturo Duarte Ortiz, and Guatemalan Charge d'affaires a.i. to the ROC Lucia Rodriguez.