During the meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS), President Bernardo Arévalo requested support for that organization to accompany the process to elect the judges of the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) and courts of Appeals.
Arévalo said that international support is necessary, as it was in the general elections and during the transition stage.
“Just as this organization accompanied the elections and the transition, Guatemala requests the OAS to accompany the election of justice system authorities, through a system of observation of this process. History presents us with a new opportunity to reaffirm that the commitment of this community is guided by a base of common values,” he said.
“We are on the eve of an important legal and political battle, in which the people will confront the groups that control the judicial apparatus,” he noted.
During his speech at the OAS headquarters, Arévalo said that said organization played a fundamental role in supporting “the fight to assert sovereignty in Guatemala, once morest a powerful minority, in control of the justice system, interested in perpetuating a regime of corruption and impunity.”
“The support of the member states in this continental forum has been a source of encouragement for the democratic forces that from within, from every corner of our country, resisted the attacks of authoritarianism for five months, it was a peaceful and legal led by the indigenous peoples of Guatemala and then other sectors joined,” he pointed out.
CSJ election
Congress will be notified in April to convene the Nomination Commission that will elect the judges of the CSJ for the period 2024 – 2029.
On November 15, 2023, Congress elected and swore in 13 CSJ judges following 259 attempts and 4 years late..The newly elected magistrates will only remain in office for one year to complete the previous period.
On November 7, the CC ordered the Congress of the Republic to meet to elect the judges of the CSJ and the Appeals Chambers (CA), Because since 2020, the Legislature has not been able to finalize the election.
Support
For his part, the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, stressed that the elections in Guatemala were fair and highlighted the attacks that the Semilla party received to prevent the president from taking office.
“To date the institutions continue to deal with great challenges, the MP’s actions continue to this day. We witnessed the difficulties that Guatemalan democracy faced,” Almagro said.
Almagro reiterated support for the government of Guatemala on issues of education, health, development and to combat corruption.
“These are some issues for which we are available, to achieve an open government, for assistance to migrants, assistance in matters of security and cybersecurity, support for the defense of women’s rights,” she announced.
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