Guatemala is open to receiving the citizens of other Central American nations who are deported from the United States, three sources familiar with the matter said, as the country looks to build a positive relationship with the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

"There has to be a regional response," a Guatemalan official who requested anonymity said. "And we want to be part of the solution." The U.S. has struggled to deport nationals from places such as Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti due to strained relations. That could prove a challenge for Trump, who has vowed to deport record numbers of immigrants living in the United States illegally.

His team has already reached out to the governments of several countries to test their willingness to take deportees from third countries. Many U.S. neighbors, including Mexico and the Bahamas, have said they do not want to receive deportees from third countries.