Land Transport Treaty between Brazil, Guyana takes effect in 2026

After more than 20 years in limbo, the land transport agreement between Brazil and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana is now set for completion in 2026. On Monday, December 15, 2025, representatives of both Governments met in Brasília and signalled renewed commitment to finally operationalising the long-stalled treaty governing the movement of passengers and cargo between the two countries.

The agreement was originally signed in Brasília on February 7, 2003, and later promulgated under Decree No. 5.561 of October 10, 2005, during the first term of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. However, it remained largely unimplemented for decades due to technical, bureaucratic, and political hurdles, leaving cross-border land transport along the northern frontier to operate in a legal grey area marked by informality and clandestine activity.
In fact, diplomatic meetings in Brasilia rekindle the treaty signed in 2003, expose technical obstacles and flaws in licensing, and put pressure on Governments to regulate routes currently being operated irregularly.
The revived push comes amid growing regional integration, increased movement of goods and people, and mounting concern over the absence of clear and enforceable rules for regular international land transport between Brazil and Guyana.
The information was released by the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT), which highlighted the urgency of implementing the agreement to ensure legal certainty, adequate oversight, and greater predictability for the sector. As emphasised by Brazilian and Guyanese authorities, the accumulated delay over more than two decades has harmed both formal operators and transport users, in addition to encouraging irregular practices.