The country’s central bank underlined in a report that the value achieved was higher than the 3.2 percent from January to March last year, but represented a slight deceleration compared to the following quarter of April-June 2023 (4.1).

The bank’s vice-president, José Alfredo Blanco, warned, on the other hand, that on the international side, high levels of uncertainty and some downside risks prevail.

The latter are mainly associated with the intensification of geopolitical and trade tensions, and the volatility of raw material prices.

Nevertheless, he reiterated, for the end of the current year we foresee gross domestic product (GDP) growth in a range between 3.0 and 4.0 percent, with a central value of 3.5.

Of the nation’s 17 productive activities, three showed a negative performance in the last quarter: construction, -3.7 percent; mining and quarrying, -3.5; and agriculture, -1.0.

Those with the highest positive incidence were trade and repair of vehicles, 5.2 percent; manufacturing industries, 4.0; real estate, 4.5; financial and insurance, 6.9; and information and communications, 6.9, according to the source.

Electricity, water and sanitation supply also stood out, which accounted for 72 percent of the quarterly GDP variation rate.

The director of the Public Advocacy and Competitiveness Commission of the Guatemalan Chamber of Construction, Fernando Estrada, described the downward trend in this sector as worrying.

This sector generates a large number of jobs and responds to the enormous need for infrastructure, he recalled.

Guatemala’s economy concluded the last annual period with a 3.5 percent increase in GDP, lower than the 4.1 percent of 2022 and the eight percent of 2021.

mh/abo/oda/znc