| Official Name: | Retalhuleu |
| Settlement Type: | Municipality and city |
| Pushpin Map: | Guatemala |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Guatemala |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Guatemala |
| Subdivision Name1: | Retalhuleu |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Total Km2: | 791 |
| Population As Of: | 2018 census |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 90505 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Urban: | 90505 |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Ethnicities |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Religions |
| Coordinates: | 14.5333°N -132°W |
| Elevation M: | 232 |
| Blank Name: | Climate |
| Blank Info: | Am |
The city of Retalhuleu (pronounced as /es/) is situated in south-western Guatemala. It is the departmental seat of Retalhuleu Department as well as the municipal seat of Retalhuleu Municipality.
Retalhuleu stands at about 240 metres above sea level. The city has a population of 90,505 (2018 census).[2] Locally it is nicknamed "Reu."
The city played a role in the Bay of Pigs Invasion. For a number of recruits, infantry training was carried out at a CIA-run base code-named JMTrax. The base was on the Pacific coast of Guatemala between Quetzaltenango and Retalhuleu, in the Helvetia coffee plantation.[3] In summer 1960, an airfield (code-named JMadd, aka Rayo Base) was constructed near Retalhuleu, Guatemala.[3] [4] In November 1960, the Retalhuleu recruits also took part in quelling an officers' rebellion in Guatemala, in addition to the intervention of the U.S. Navy.[5]
On August 7 and 8, 2021, Retalhuleu was severely affected by rain, which lasted for 36 hours and caused landslides, floods and other damages to Retalhuleu and other Guatemalan cities.[6] (in Spanish)
The local football club is Deportivo Reu which was founded in 2013 after Juventud Retalteca became defunct. Deportivo Reu play their local games at the Estadio Dr. Óscar Monterroso Izaguirre in the Primera División de Ascenso.
Puerto San José has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen: Am) with a very rainy wet season from April to November, and a dry season from December to March.