Summary
The Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) amended the annex of the Ordinance on Measures Concerning Guatemala on January 26, 2026. Five natural persons were added to the sanctions list or their entries were adjusted. The new measures enter into force on January 27, 2026 at 23:00 and are part of Switzerland's international sanctions policy.
Institutions
Topics
- International sanctions
- Guatemala
- Ordinance amendment
- Personal sanctions
Detailed Summary
The EAER made an adjustment to the Ordinance on Measures Concerning Guatemala. The amendment affected the annex of the ordinance, which lists sanctions targets.
The measure involved adjusting the entries of five natural persons. This means that either new persons were added to the sanctions list or existing entries were updated – for example, with corrected personal data, addresses, or identification features.
The ordinance amendment was adopted on January 26, 2026 and enters into force on January 27, 2026 at 23:00. This provides affected actors with a short transition period to adjust their compliance measures.
Key Messages
- Five persons were recorded on the Guatemalan sanctions list or their data were updated
- The measures enter into force on January 27, 2026 at 23:00
- The EAER is responsible for implementing international sanctions
- The amendment is made through adjustment of the ordinance annex
Stakeholders & Affected Parties
- Affected Persons: The five mentioned natural persons are now subject to sanctions measures
- Financial Institutions & Companies: Must conduct compliance checks and freeze affected assets
- Swiss Authorities: Responsible for monitoring and enforcement
- Guatemala: Affected by Switzerland's international sanctions measures
Opportunities & Risks
| Opportunities | Risks |
|---|---|
| Strengthening international rule of law | Potential impacts on business relationships |
| Transparency through sanctions lists | Administrative burden for compliance checks |
| Signaling effect against corruption/human rights violations | ⚠️ Erroneous listings possible |
Action Relevance
For Financial Institutions and Companies:
- Immediate review of business relationships against the updated list
- Implementation of screening measures by 23:00 on January 27, 2026
- Documentation of all compliance measures
For Decision-Makers:
- Monitoring the effectiveness of sanctions
- Observation of potential economic impacts
Quality Assurance & Fact-Checking
- [x] Central statements verified
- [x] Publication date and time verified (January 27, 2026, 23:00)
- [x] Institutional responsibilities confirmed
- ⚠️ Specific names of the five persons not included in the article – original ordinance required
Supplementary Research
- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) – Sanctions Lists
- Federal Council – Sanctions Measures Guatemala
- UN Sanctions Database for Context Information
Source Directory
Primary Source:
Swiss News Service – SECO: Ordinance on Measures Concerning Guatemala
https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/LHlncF8dylSpp57AfPDWm
Published: January 27, 2026
Verification Status: ✓ Facts checked on January 27, 2026
This text was created with the support of Claude.
Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: 27.01.2026