Return of Cultural Artifacts to Guatemala

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pleased to announce the repatriation to the Government of Guatemala of four pre-Hispanic archaeological pieces that have been held in the custody of the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology of the University of São Paulo (MAE/USP) since 2009. The return was confirmed today, 5 May, during the visit to Brazil of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, Carlos Ramiro Martínez.

The restitution is based on the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. The Brazilian Government reiterates its commitment to the repatriation of cultural property to their countries of origin and looks forward to working with Guatemala and other partners, in various international fora, in support of the claims of nations that have been historically deprived of their cultural heritage.