Guatemala’s Banking Superintendency Reports Record Q16 Billion in Suspicious Financial Transactions, Warns of GAFILAT Evaluation
Guatemala’s Superintendencia de Bancos (SIB) disclosed on 12 February that approximately Q16 billion (circa US$2 billion) in suspicious financial transactions were reported during 2025, representing a 74 per cent increase over the previous year. Superintendent Saulo De León Durán attributed the surge to the growing sophistication of transnational multicriminal networks that employ nominee structures, virtual assets, and transfers routed through jurisdictions in the Middle East and Asia, which significantly complicate traceability and enforcement.
The most frequently identified predicate offences include narcotics trafficking, corruption, tax crimes, fraud, and extortion.
De León stressed that “combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism is a whole-of-country effort,” requiring coordination among public institutions, the private sector, and regulated professions. The announcement carries particular weight as Guatemala prepares for a high-level pre-evaluation visit by the Financial Action Task Force of Latin America (GAFILAT) scheduled for February 2027. Authorities warned that failure to enact Iniciativa 6593 — the Ley Integral contra el Lavado de Dinero u Otros Activos y el Financiamiento del Terrorismo, currently before Congress — could expose Guatemala to inclusion on the GAFI grey list, with consequent increases in financing costs, reduced competitiveness, and adverse macroeconomic effects on employment and inflation.
The legislation seeks to modernise the legal framework, enhance resource traceability, and strengthen inter-institutional cooperation in line with international standards.
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