Skip to main content

Guatemala highway upgrade and widening project

Guatemala is opening the tender process to improve and widen the CA-2 Occidente highway connection between Cocales and Tecun Uman. The Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (CIV) is handling the tender for the project. Cocales is located in Guatemala’s Suchitepequez region, while Tecun Uman is in San Marcos. The highway capacity upgrade has an estimated cost of US$397.2 million to carry out. However, the project has been the subject of some controversy as the Brazilian contractor Odebrec
December 15, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Guatemala is opening the tender process to improve and widen the CA-2 Occidente highway connection between Cocales and Tecun Uman. The Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing (CIV) is handling the tender for the project. Cocales is located in Guatemala’s Suchitepequez region, while Tecun Uman is in San Marcos.

The highway capacity upgrade has an estimated cost of US$397.2 million to carry out. However, the project has been the subject of some controversy as the Brazilian contractor 1305 Odebrecht was originally handling the work. However the Guatemalan Atttorney General’s office (PGN) ruled that this contract be suspended. Odebrecht was paid 70% of the project’s estimated cost for the work but the legal dispute hinged on the lack of sufficient progress with the construction.

This is not the only highway project in Guatemala subject to legal issues however as a further dispute concerns the work to upgrade and widen the Escuintla-Ciudad Pedro de Alvarado road to dual carriageway status. The project has been handled by contractor Sigma Constructores but CIV has revealed it is also intent on cancelling this deal, signifying that the Guatemalan authorities are increasingly keen to ensure highway projects are handled efficiently and to the required schedule.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Colombian deals
    February 7, 2012
    The Colombian authorities are agreeing terms with the Colombian electricity transmission company Interconexion Electrica (ISA) for the Autopistas de la Montana highway project. The Bogota-Villavicencio highway was also awarded although other infrastructure projects are still awaiting approval.
  • Paruvian road concession package cancelled
    April 26, 2019
    The concession package for Peru’s Vía Expresa Sur road project is being cancelled. The deal was originally awarded to the Peruvian company, Grana y Montero (GyM). However the involvement of Brazilian firm Odebrecht in the project have resulted in the deal being cancelled. Odebrecht has been linked to string of corruption scandals. The tender process for the 5km road section will be reopened as a result. The project is intended to cut journey times in Lima, with the work expected to cost US$200 million.
  • Guatemala’s new US$140 million highway
    July 5, 2024
    Guatemala is planning a new US$140 million highway.
  • Deal struck for Poland's A2 highway
    February 27, 2012
    Work on two sections of Poland's A2 highway originally planned to be built by the Chinese COVEC will now be constructed by two consortia.