2024-01-12 01:20:37
The United States appeared this Thursday (01/11/2024) convinced that the elected president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo de León, will be able to assume power on January 14, but threatened to suspend cooperation programs with the Central American country if this does not happen. .
Arévalo de León, of the progressive Seed Movementmust take over from the outgoing president, Alejandro Giammattei, following a process marked by the Prosecutor’s Office’s attempts to reverse the electoral results.
In a telephone press conference, the head of the US State Department for Latin America, Brian Nichols, warned that blocking the inauguration of Arévalo de León would be “a violation” of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
“The United States has multiple cooperation and trade agreements with Guatemala. All of this would be at risk if there is no democratic transition,” he warned. However, Nichols stressed his “confidence” that Arévalo de León will take office on Sunday and “Guatemalans will be able to celebrate a historic and joyful moment for their country.”
Guatemalan court protects vice president-elect from possible capture
Meanwhile, a Guatemalan Court this Thursday protected the vice president-elect, Karin Herrera, from any arrest warrant, following rumors of her arrest that would prevent the presidential inauguration of Arévalo de León.
The Constitutional Court, the highest judicial instance in the country, granted a “provisional protection” in favor of Herrera, who denounced a criminal judge and a prosecutor for the risk that they would endorse his capture for damages in the 2022 occupation of the public university. .
In this case, the Prosecutor’s Office asked on November 18, 2023 to remove the immunity of Herrera and Arévalo de León, but the process is still pending resolution in the Supreme Court of Justice. Both are accused of supporting the occupation, which lasted more than a year.
The Prosecutor’s Office requests the capture of electoral magistrates
On the other hand, the Public Ministry (Prosecutor’s Office) of Guatemala requested this Thursday the capture of four titular magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) for alleged anomalies in the purchase of a digital data transmission system used in the 2023 elections.
The judges lost their immunity by decision of the Guatemalan Congress as of November 30, 2023 and are currently outside the country. The Prosecutor’s Office alleges that they had committed an alleged “financial fraud” by acquiring the computer system with which the preliminary results of the elections of June 25 and August 20, 2023 were transmitted.
The magistrates with a current arrest warrant are: Irma Palencia, Ranulfo Rojas, Vladimir Aguilera and Mynor Franco.
Former Interior Minister captured for disobedience in protests
On the same Thursday, the Guatemalan Police captured former Minister of the Interior (Interior), David Barrientos, for disobeying a court order to clear dozens of road blockades that demanded the resignation of Attorney General Consuelo Porras.
“The arrest of Mr. David Napoleón Barrientos Girón was coordinated for the possible commission of the crimes of breach of duties and disobedience,” the Prosecutor’s Office reported in a statement.
The former head of the Security portfolio was arrested at his residence in the Guatemalan capital and taken in a police patrol to the court building where he will be presented before a judge, according to images broadcast on local television. “We act within the framework of the law,” Barrientos told reporters upon arriving at court.
The former minister resigned from office on October 16, 2023 following the Prosecutor’s Office asked the country’s highest judicial entity, the Constitutional Court, for his dismissal for refusing to forcibly evict groups of protesters.
The secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, condemned the capture on social network X and described it as a “reprehensible use of the authority and capabilities” of the Prosecutor’s Office.
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