Bipartisan Senate group praises Guatemala for sticking with Taiwan

A bipartisan group of senators is lauding Guatemala's newly inaugurated President Bernardo Arévalo for maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan, as the island nation's diplomatic allies increasingly opt instead to maintain relations with China. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) on Thursday led a letter to Arévalo celebrating Guatemala's ongoing relationship with Taiwan. "In the face of increasing coercion and economic inducements from the [Chinese Communist Party (CCP)] against several democratic nations around the world, Guatemala's steadfast dedication to maintaining formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan stands as a beacon of courage and integrity," they wrote. Only 12 countries around…