'Foiled': Volcanic ash stops Biden envoys reaching Guatemala

A delegation of senior Biden administration aides has postponed a trip to Guatemala because of heightened activity by the Pacaya volcano, the Central American country's foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Pacaya spewed ash and small rocks across Guatemala's capital on Tuesday, causing the temporary closure of the international airport.

A delegation of senior Biden administration aides has postponed a trip to Guatemala because of heightened activity by the Pacaya volcano, the Central American country's foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Juan Gonzalez, one of U.S. President Joe Biden's top aides for Latin America, and Ricardo Zuniga, newly appointed U.S. special envoy for Central America's Northern Triangle, were due to meet with Guatemalan ministers on Thursday.

"The mission decided to postpone its arrival in Guatemala because of the conditions with the Pacaya Volcano," the foreign ministry said, adding that no date had yet been set for the postponed meetings to take place. Pacaya spewed ash and small rocks across Guatemala's capital on Tuesday, causing the temporary closure of the international airport. The airport was officially open on Wednesday morning, after soldiers armed with plastic brooms swept the runway clean.

"Foiled by Pacaya," Gonzalez wrote on Twitter. "We will be back."

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