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  • What we do

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      • Clearing landmines and explosives

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    Our work

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    • Teaching people to stay safe
    • Managing weapons and ammunition
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    Our impact

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    • Making land safe
    • Creating jobs
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    • Angola
    • Ethiopia
    • Malawi
    • Mozambique
    • Somalia and Somaliland
    • Zimbabwe
    • Nigeria
    • Ghana
    • Cote D’Ivoire
    • Mauritania
    • Togo
    • Kenya
    • Guinea Bissau

    Europe & Caucasus

    • Kosovo
    • Nagorno Karabakh
    • Ukraine
    • Moldova

    South Asia

    • Cambodia
    • Laos
    • Myanmar
    • Solomon Islands
    • Sri Lanka

    Central Asia

    • Afghanistan

    Latin America

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    • El Salvador
    • Guatemala
    • Honduras

    Middle East

    • Libya
    • Syria
    • West Bank
    • Yemen
    • Iraq
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Guatemala

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The people of Guatemala endured more than 36 years of internal conflict, which ended with the signing of the Peace Accords at the end of 1996. Now, almost three decades later, it continues to suffer a high crime rate fuelled by drug trafficking and gang-related violence, combined with a heavily armed civilian population. Like other Central American countries, arms trafficking remains an issue.

The large number of weapons in circulation has had a devastating effect on local communities, causing deaths and forcing families to flee their homes across the region into the United States and Mexico.

However owning or carrying a weapon is a constitutional right in Guatemala, so improving the regulation of arms and ammunition is a major challenge for peace, security and development.

Since 2017, HALO has worked with the military and police forces to strengthen Guatemala's weapons and ammunition management (WAM) processes. Our efforts focus on destroying obsolete weapons and ammunition, and preventing unplanned explosions and the diversion of firearms to organised crime. At the same time, we strive to ensure the meaningful participation of women and other minority groups in the security forces. 

 

Our Work

Managing weapons & ammunition

HALO is working with the armed forces and police in Guatemala to provide support destroying obsolete and confiscated weapons and ammunition. With funding from the United States Government, our aim is to upgrade and restore weapons and ammunition stores, to improve gun control and prevent unplanned explosions.

We have also been researching how, by working with local communities, we can reduce armed violence and help tackle the humanitarian crisis in the region that results from easy access to weapons. 

OUR IMPACT

"I’ve come across instances where I needed these skills in explosive ordnance disposal—but unfortunately, I didn’t have them. Now I am looking forward to learning as much as I can. I want to be able to teach my peers in the army so that we can all contribute towards reducing violence in our country."
Captain Robin Leonardo Ajcalon Guoz

Captain Robin Leonardo Ajcalon Guoz has served in the Guatemalan Army for fourteen years. He knows first-hand the dangers of badly stored ammunition after witnessing the explosion of a military store in 2005. With 17 of his colleagues, he completed his Level One training in explosive ordnance disposal with HALO.

HALO's impact as at Summer 2025

2469
Light weapons destroyed
727258
Kg of explosives destroyed
16477
items of ammunition destroyed

Stories From Latin America

Mines in the mountains
Mines in the mountains
Read more
The United States a key player in Humanitarian Demining in Colombia
The United States, a key player in Humanitarian Demining in Colombia
Read more
International Day of Education
International Day of Education
Read more
Restoring Confidence in Colombia
Restoring Confidence for Eisenhower in Colombia
Read more
Creating a Safer Future in El Salvador
Creating a Safer Future in El Salvador
Read more
Walking Our Land in Safety
Walking our land in safety
Read more

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Our Work in GUATEMALA is Funded By:

 

The Government of the United States

Meet Our Team in Guatemala

Project Manager Central America
Alan serves as the Programme Manager for Central America, responsible for overseeing WAM activities in the Northern Triangle and the Mangrove reforestation project in El Salvador. Before joining HALO, Alan led a programme aimed at strengthening state and civil society actors working across Central America to promote the rights of vulnerable populations. He possesses experience in community-based crime prevention and justice sector reform to enhance security in high-crime areas, as well as humanitarian aid delivery following natural disasters.

Alan Quinn

Country Manager Guatemala
Hamilton Jiménez spent 23 years as an officer in the Colombian Army. He is a professional in International Relations with a master's degree in International Security and Human Rights; he is currently pursuing a doctorate in Project Management. He has been a university professor and has worked as a security and defense advisor in the Ministry of Defense in Colombia. He has been with HALO since 2022 and before becoming Country Manager for Guatemala, he was assigned to demining programs in Cambodia and Colombia.

Hamilton Jimenez

Ammunition Technical Specialist, Guatemala
Before Joining HALO in January 2023, Alejandro was a Lieutenant Coronel in the Peruvian Army. An Ammunition Engineer with an MSc from the Penza Artillery Engineering Institute – USSR, he spent 10 years as production manager of the Peruvian Army’s weapons and ammunition factory and taught a number of courses at the Army’s School of War Materiel in ballistics and weapons and ammunition management and maintenance. He also taught inventory management at San Martín de Porres University, Lima.

José Alejandro Frías

Small Arms Specialist, Guatemala
Claudio joined HALO in 2023 as a Small Arms Specialist. As a police armorer and ballistics expert, he brings with him 25 years of experience in preventive, conservative and recuperative maintenance of weapons and ammunition as well as in forensics. He has a degree in Public Safety and Police Investigation and has worked as a military instructor delivering Small Arms courses to Chilean Armorers.

Claudio Rojas

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist, Guatemala
Andrés Felipe joined in HALO in October 2021, as an EOD Specialist with over 20 years of experience. His past roles include Head of the Weapons, Ammunition and Explosives Trafficking Area, Explosives Coordinator for the Toyo Tunnel project, Head of GIAT, and Construction Analyst for the Department for Trade of Weapons, Ammunition and Explosives. Andrés has a degree in Military Sciences and a diploma in Supervising Projects Involving Explosives from the Colombian School of Military Engineers.

Andrés Betancur

International Finance Manager for Central America
Ricardo joined HALO Central America in February 2023. Before this, he worked for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in Latin America and the Caribbean as Regional Finance Manager. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a Master's degree in Finance from Atlantic International University, Hawaii.

Ricardo Mendoza

Project Administrator Guatemala
Victoria joined HALO Guatemala in November 2017 as Project Administrator. She has been working in administration for over 12 years, especially in the areas of purchases and sales. She joined HALO with the aim to contribute to a Guatemala free from violence. She liaises with the Guatemalan government, the armed forces, the military and the National Civil Police to support the team in Guatemala. She has a degree in Business Administration and a Master's degree in Process Control and Analysis. Victoria loves spending her free time with her family.

Victoria López

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CARRONFOOT, THORNHILL, DUMFRIES, DG3 5BF

The HALO Trust is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No. 2228587. Registered Charity No. 1001813 and (in Scotland) SC037870. Registered Office: One Bartholomew Close, Barts Square, London EC1A 7BL

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