Guatemala Jan trade deficit $1.558B
TL;DR
Guatemala's trade deficit narrowed in January 2025, with a $343.7 million surplus in U.S. trade, but its overall annual deficit remains high due to import reliance and export concentration.
Tags
Guatemala Jan trade deficit $1.558B
Guatemala’s trade deficit narrowed in January 2025, with the U.S. Census Bureau reporting a surplus of $343.7 million in bilateral goods trade with the United States. U.S. exports to Guatemala totaled $765.8 million, while imports stood at $422.2 million, resulting in a monthly trade surplus according to Census data. This contrasts with Guatemala’s broader annual trade deficit, which reached -$15.74 billion in 2023, reflecting a 0.5% decline from 2022 levels.
Historically, U.S.-Guatemala trade has shown resilience, with total 2025 goods trade through January reaching $1.19 billion (exports plus imports). The U.S. maintained a cumulative surplus of $4.84 billion in 2024, driven by consistent monthly export outperformance. However, Guatemala’s overall trade balance—with all partners—remains negative, as imports have consistently outpaced exports in recent years. For context, the 2023 deficit marked a 30.64% increase from 2021 levels.
The January 2025 data highlights the U.S.-Guatemala trade relationship’s stability, though it does not fully align with Guatemala’s systemic trade deficit. Analysts may attribute this divergence to Guatemala’s reliance on imports for energy, manufactured goods, and consumer products, while exports remain concentrated in agricultural and textile sectors. Continued monitoring of bilateral trade flows and broader economic policies will be critical for assessing long-term trends.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau: U.S. Census Bureau, Trade in Goods with Guatemala (2025).
Macrotrends data shows: Macrotrends, Guatemala Trade Balance (2023).
