Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) highlights amended Guatemala sanctions list effective 27 January 2026 at 23:00 with asset-freeze and reporting requirements

The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has drawn attention to an amendment published by Switzerland’s Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research to the ordinance on measures concerning Guatemala, updating the list of sanctioned persons, companies and organisations reflected in the Swiss sanctions database SESAM (SECO Sanctions Management). The update enters into force at 23:00 on 27 January 2026. Financial intermediaries are required to implement the prohibitions under the ordinance, freeze the assets of sanctioned persons and report affected business relationships to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). Reporting to SECO does not remove the intermediary’s obligation to carry out additional clarifications where there are indications of money laundering under Article 6 of the Swiss Anti-Money Laundering Act and, if concerns cannot be resolved, to file a report without delay with the Money Laundering Reporting Office under Article 9.