Guatemala
Practice Relating to the Prohibition of Certain Types of Landmines
Guatemala’s Law on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines (1997) provides:
The production, sale, purchase, import, export, transit, use, installation, placement or possession of anti-personnel mines and anti-detector devices or parts of such devices is prohibited.
It is also forbidden to develop, produce, manufacture or marketing abroad landmines, anti-detector devices or parts of such devices.
Guatemala was an early supporter of a ban on anti-personnel landmines. In September 1996, it joined with other Central American nations in declaring the region a mine-free zone in a joint statement signed by each nation’s Foreign Minister, committing to no production, trade or use of anti-personnel mines. Guatemala endorsed the Final Declaration of the Brussels Conference on Anti-personnel Landmines in June 1997 and was a full participant in the Oslo negotiations in September 1997 which led to the adoption of a treaty banning anti-personnel landmines. Guatemala also voted in favour of the UN General Assembly resolutions in support of a ban on anti-personnel landmines in 1996 and 1997, as well as the relevant OAS resolutions.