---
title: "NRC in Guatemala"
description: "More than five million people in Guatemala are in need of humanitarian assistance. Much of the population lives with the effects of organised crime, food insecurity and extreme weather events."
url: "https://www.nrc.no/countries/south-america/guatemala"
language: "en"
published: "2025-03-20T15:27:45Z"
modified: "2026-02-04T08:30:05Z"
---

# NRC in Guatemala

A young man in Guatemala shows NRC's team his asylum application papers for the United States. Photo: NRC

More than five million people in Guatemala need humanitarian assistance. Much of the population live with the effects of organised crime, food insecurity and extreme weather events.

Published 20. Mar 2025 Updated 04. Feb 2026

[Guatemala](https://www.nrc.no/themes?categoryId=62)

**Notice: NRC's Guatemala country office closed operations in December 2025**The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) opened its offices in Guatemala in 2022. Between 2022 and 2025, we assisted more than 29,000 people displaced by widespread violence, refugees, and migrants – many of them transiting towards the north – and others in need of protection. We also helped children outside the education system to return to school. Although the humanitarian needs remain, in December 2025 we were forced to close our operations in the country due to financial cuts to humanitarian aid.

## What’s happening in Guatemala?

Corruption, drug trafficking and gang violence are rife in Guatemala and drive many families from their homes every year. Intimidation, persecution and violence against women are among the main drivers of displacement. Equally frightening is the threat of hurricanes, flash floods and other disasters, which force entire communities to evacuate.

Poverty is entrenched and hunger remains widespread across the country, with Indigenous communities, women and children among the most vulnerable groups. A significant proportion of the population continues to experience crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity.

Since financial cuts to humanitarian aid in early 2025, the support capacity of local and international organisations has been significantly reduced in Guatemala, despite ongoing needs.

## Our response

Although NRC no longer has operations in Guatemala, we continue to work with local organisations on advocacy in 2026:

- **Advocacy** – raising awareness of forced displacement and drawing greater attention to the needs of affected communities.

[Download the factsheet for NRC in North of Central America and Mexico](https://www.nrc.no/resources/fact-sheets/ntca)

## Our operations

**NRC office established:** 2022

**Areas of operation:** Guatemala City, Alta Verapaz, San Marcos and Chiquimula departments

**Country Director:** Giorgio Lentini

**Contact:** [nrc.ncaym@nrc.no](mailto:nrc.ncaym@nrc.no)

## Our impact

In 2025, we assisted 7,769 people through our programmes in Guatemala:

- 783

  Education
- 5,670

  Protection from violence
- 4,218

  Information, counselling and legal assistance

***Note:** some people received more than one type of assistance.*

### News and stories

## [NRC closes its operations in Guatemala](https://www.nrc.no/perspectives/2026/nrc-closes-its-operations-in-guatemala)

20. Jan 2026 | Guatemala

Press release

## [​​Central America: Displaced face increasing abandonment​](https://www.nrc.no/news/2025/december/central-america-displaced-face-increasing-abandonment)

02. Dec 2025 | America|El Salvador|Guatemala|Honduras|Mexico

Press release

## [Latin America: Violence driving forced displacement](https://www.nrc.no/news/2025/november/latin-america-violence-driving-forced-displacement)

20. Nov 2025 | Ecuador|Guatemala|Honduras|Mexico

[More news and stories](https://www.nrc.no/search?searchCategories=123,125,172,335,62&searchMethod=1)

### Publications

## [Now we have nothing left: a study on housing, land and property of displaced indigenous communities in Guatemala](https://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/now-we-have-nothing-left-a-study-on-hlp-of-displaced-indigenous-communities-in-guatemala)

29. Jan 2025 | Guatemala

## [Social protection in emergencies: Strengthening the normative framework for cash transfer delivery](https://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/social-protection-in-emergencies-strengthening-the-normative-framework-for-cash-transfer-delivery)

27. Nov 2024 | Guatemala

## [Protection Snapshot 9: The Impact of Violence on the Right to Health for Displaced Persons in the North of Central America and Mexico](https://www.nrc.no/resources/reports/protection-snapshot-9-the-impact-of-violence-on-the-right-to-health-for-displaced-persons)

26. Aug 2020 | El Salvador|Guatemala|Honduras|Mexico

[More publications](https://www.nrc.no/search?searchCategories=124,131,132,175,178,314,315,62&searchMethod=1)

**Region:** Central America  
**Population:** 18.6 million  
**Total displaced:** 0.74 million   
**Refugees hosted:**5,674