(Originally published on 14/Oct/2025)
Since April 2021, when the Superintendency of Tax Administration (SAT) recognized it as an Auxiliary of the Public Customs Function, the ZDEEP Michatoya Pacifico has been consolidated as a strategic axis of the country's economic development.
Inspired by the success of Michatoya Palín, Michatoya Pacífico emerges as a new industrial and logistics zone at kilometer 72 of the highway to Puerto Quetzal, Escuintla. The project takes advantage of the ZOLIC regime through the Special Public Economic Development Zones (ZDEEP), offering profitable investment conditions and a highly competitive environment.
Its creation represents not only a boost to private investment, but also a national commitment: to decentralize the capital's economic growth, to project the south as a development hub and to strengthen competitiveness.
Guatemala in global trade.
With more than 3 million sqm projected and 500,000 sqm in operation, the ZDEEP houses 15 active users in industrial, commercial and service sectors. So far, the project has received an investment of US$$40 million, which has allowed it to grow from 1.5 million m² to the current 3 million m², marking a new boost to industrial and logistics development in southern Guatemala and consolidating investor confidence in the ZDEEP model.
Resin transformers, paper plants, agribusiness, one of the largest biodegradable bag factories, logistics centers and vehicle marketing companies coexist with distribution platforms that supply Central America, Colombia and the Caribbean. “The idea of Michatoya Pacifico is to create a development pole and a world-class smart city,” explains José Pablo Salazar, general manager of the project.
The development is supported by first-class infrastructure: an 8 km, six-lane beltway directly connects the CA-2 and CA-9 corridors, Puerto Quetzal and the Mexican border, optimizing logistics flow. The facilities include industrial warehouses ready to operate from 2,000 m², 120,000 m² already in operation with the highest standards worldwide, and more than 400,000 m² of “built-to-suit” land, adaptable to the specific needs of each user.
Michatoya Pacifico guarantees unlimited water supply, reliable energy, high-speed fiber optic internet and a 20-year urban plan that will integrate residences, hospitals, universities, commerce and recreational spaces, says Salazar. The ZDEEP is reinforcing its electrical infrastructure with the construction of two new substations that will be operational by the middle of next year, with a capacity of 200 megawatts, ensuring stable and sustainable quality electricity for all users.
Social impact
The social impact is evident. In a region where a large part of the population used to depend on temporary harvesting, today many families have found new job opportunities within the project, with more dignified and sustainable conditions. Local young people have access to technical and operational training, while female leadership is advancing in areas ranging from gardening to the operation of heavy machinery. “Before, people worked temporarily during the harvest; today they have stable jobs, benefits, transportation and medical services. We generate close to 1,000 direct jobs and 2,500 indirect jobs,” says Salazar.
Sustainability at the forefront
Sustainability is also a central focus at Michatoya Pacifico, which has 100,000 m² of green areas and a nursery with more than half a million species in the process of reforestation. “It is not only about generating economic growth, but also guaranteeing environmental balance and quality of life,” says Salazar.
Looking to the future, the industrial park is strengthening strategic alliances with INTECAP to train local talent, while the arrival of international maquilas projects investments in the millions and up to 12,000 new employees.
jobs. “We envision Michatoya Pacifico as a key industrial and logistics hub in Central America, consolidating foreign investment and regional competitiveness,” adds Salazar.
More than an investment space, Michatoya Pacifico represents an integral development model: an ecosystem where industry, logistics, commerce and urban life converge. Under the ZOLIC regime, this project exemplifies the transformative potential of Public Special Economic Development Zones as engines of sustainable growth and national competitiveness.