Taiwan pays $900,000 for ally Guatemala to lobby Washington

By JOSHUA GOODMAN
Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — Guatemala has hired for $900,000 a major supporter of former President Donald Trump to seek influence with U.S. officials in an unusual lobbying contract paid for by its ally Taiwan. Foreign lobby records show that Ballard Partners registered as a foreign agent with the U.S. Justice Department on Jan. 13. Ballard was a lobbyist for Trump in Florida years before he ran for the White House. But it’s unclear how he will be able to help Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei draw closer to the Democratic administration of President Joe Biden, which has repeatedly expressed concerns about corruption in the Central American nation.