On the afternoon of July 6, Legislative Yuan President Daniel K.Y. Han (韓國瑜), accompanied by KMT Legislator Adm. Chen Yeong-Kang, DPP Legislator Kuo Yu-Ching, TPP Legislator Tsai Chun-Chou, Deputy Minister Chen Ming-Chi of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Guatemalan Ambassador to Taiwan Luis Raúl Estévez López, received a 10-member delegation led by President Luis Alberto Contreras Colíndres of the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala.
On behalf of the Legislative Yuan, President Han opened the meeting by welcoming the cross-party delegation of members of Congress led by President Contreras. President Han stated that both Taiwan and Guatemala have adopted a unicameral system and are similar in size. President Han further noted that the Guatemalan Congress has 160 seats and 16 political parties and caucuses, while the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China has 113 seats and three political parties. Both parliaments demonstrate diversity and vitality. President Han praised President Contreras for being elected President of the Guatemalan Congress with an impressive 149 votes in a multi-party parliament, fully demonstrating his high standing, extraordinary leadership, as well as communication and coordination skills.
President Han then used Cerberus, the three-headed hound of the underworld in Greek mythology, as a metaphor to explain the three crucial responsibilities of parliamentarians: fulfilling their parliamentary oversight duties, serving their constituents in their districts, and balancing their family life and work. He noted that representatives of the people have to strive for a balance between public service and family life while also shouldering the responsibility for national development. For this reason, he paid sincere respects to members of the Guatemalan Congress.
President Han further expressed that for most members of the delegation, it was their first visit to Taiwan. He believed that during the visit, the delegation members would experience the hospitality and friendliness of the Taiwanese people, and he looked forward to further deepening exchanges between the two sides. He pointed out that although the two countries are geographically far apart, they share deep bonds. Taiwanese people, he said, are familiar with Guatemalan coffee and cane sugar, which serve as the best testament to bilateral economic and trade cooperation and people-to-people friendship. President Han expressed hope for continued parliamentary exchanges and cooperation in various fields so as to further strengthen the enduring friendship between Taiwan and Guatemala, and wished the delegation a successful and fruitful visit.
President Contreras stated that he was delighted to lead a delegation to Taiwan and emphasized that although political parties in Guatemala often hold different views, support for Taiwan is indeed a consensus shared by all parties. President Contreras pointed out that it was not difficult to establish a political alliance, but the key to maintaining it over the long term lies in loyalty and mutual trust. He further explained that although the delegation included members from eight party caucuses, they represented only 40 seats in Congress. General bills, he said, need the support of an absolute majority of 81 votes to pass, while critical matters must meet the qualified majority threshold of 107 seats. Therefore, in a multi-party political environment, cross-party negotiation and consensus building are especially vital.
President Contreras also mentioned that the Guatemalan Congress has completed many critical appointments this year. Among them, he said, appointments related to the Constitutional Court involved as many as 60 hours of discussion, fully demonstrating the importance democratic systems attach to due process and consensus-based decision-making. He also noted that he has served six consecutive terms as a member of Congress. Because of his good interactions with other parties over the years, he was able to gain the support of 149 votes and be successfully elected President.
Legislator Chen thanked Guatemala for its long-standing support for Taiwan’s democratic development and for its attention to regional security issues. As a member of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan, he expressed hope for deepened bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, academic exchanges, modern agriculture, and artificial intelligence to jointly explore broader and mutually beneficial opportunities for cooperation.
Legislator Kuo also expressed sincere appreciation to the guests and said that Taiwan has always been Guatemala’s staunchest partner. In addition to its semiconductor industry, she said, Taiwan takes pride in its healthcare system and various high-quality industries, and hopes to continue deepening cooperation with Guatemala.
Legislator Tsai stated that she is from Yunlin County; Guatemalan coffee is globally recognized, while Yunlin’s Gukeng coffee is also widely acclaimed. She expressed hope that the two sides will continue to deepen exchanges and jointly promote coffee culture. Legislator Tsai also warmly recommended Taiwan’s local street foods and encouraged the delegation to take the opportunity to experience local cuisine and the warm hospitality of the Taiwanese people.
In view of the hot weather, President Han thoughtfully prepared bubble milk tea, a signature Taiwanese drink, for the guests and even personally demonstrated how to properly enjoy it. The delegation responded enthusiastically, with some members even raising their cups of bubble milk tea to toast President Han and the legislators in attendance. The lively interactions further enhanced the friendship between the two sides.
Subsequently, the two sides exchanged views on topics such as Taiwan-Guatemala cooperation and parliamentary procedures. The meeting lasted approximately one hour. President Han presented President Contreras with a Legislative Yuan gavel, which symbolizes parliament, to express his high regard for and appreciation of President Contreras’s visit. In return, President Contreras presented a wooden carving of the gate of the Guatemalan Congress and local rum, symbolizing the enduring and steadfast friendship between the two sides, bringing the exchange to a successful close. (2026/07/06)
