The attorney general and head of the Public Ministry (MP), María Consuelo Porras Argueta, said this February 27 that she is willing to meet with the President of the Republic, Bernardo Arévalo, as many times as he wants and anywhere, but within the framework of the law.
This Tuesday, Porras attended a meeting of the National Council for the Administration of Assets in Forfeiture (Conabed), at the National Palace of Culture, where Vice President Karin Herrera was also present.
At the end of the meeting, Prosecutor Porras was approached by journalists to ask regarding her visit to the National Palace of Culture for that meeting and the situation of distancing between her and President Arévalo and the Executive Body.
Porras said that there are no quarrels with President Arévalo and that the MP’s actions are institutional and he will always attend all the meetings to which they are called, in accordance with the law.
He explained that the Conader meeting is held every month and the venue of the meeting rotates among the institutions that comprise it.
“Today it’s our turn here, next month maybe the Ministry of the Interior, where it is decided and that is why we are here,” said Porras.
He reaffirmed that the MP will always act in the meetings that are called and where they are members and that everything is in accordance with the law.
“In accordance with the constitution we must ensure strict compliance with the laws of the country. In that sense, the attorney general will always be present at all meetings where she has to be in accordance with the law,” said Porras.
Why don’t you meet with Arévalo?
Porras was asked why he did not agree to meet with Arévalo as he had done with the then presidents Alejandro Giammattei and Jimmy Morales and he responded that based on the call that President Arévalo made to him for a meeting at the Casa Presidential, she did attend the meeting, but the legally established conditions for her participation were not met.
On January 24, Porras did not attend an appointment with Arévalo and instead published a video on the MP’s social networks in which he stated that he was not going to resign from his position and assured that the investigating entity is not subject to any power of the MP. State.
The MP sent a report to the Presidency of Guatemala with some data but most of the information stated that it might not be delivered due to article 314 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which regulates that all acts of the investigation will be reserved for strangers.
Arévalo invited Porras to a Government Cabinet meeting on January 29 and the attorney general attended, but a few minutes later she left.
In a video that the MP released that day, the prosecutor argued: “I found it necessary to withdraw, since the meeting was intended to be held within the framework of the Council of Ministers, which by constitutional and legal mandate prohibits me from participating and “It prohibits the ministers of State from having my presence,” said the prosecutor.
This Tuesday, the prosecutor recalled that she invited Arévalo to a meeting at the MP, but he responded in writing that it would be the Minister of the Interior, Francisco Jiménez, who would represent him at the meeting.
She recalled that that first meeting was at the MP and the second, which she attended, was at the Ministry of the Interior and important issues regarding security were discussed.
“I have already had meetings with the Executive, with the Judicial Branch and as you might also hear, we are inviting the heads of Legislative blocks to a meeting. Our obligation as the Public Ministry is to open the doors to all State officials, because the state has a single mission,” commented prosecutor Porras.
She was asked once more if she would be willing to meet with Arévalo and said that her only objective is to work for Guatemala, but within aspects of legality, objectivity, transparency and honorability.
“Those are the fundamental points of my actions and the people of Guatemala will always have an attorney general, knowledgeable regarding the law, responsible for ensuring that the law is complied with in the country and fundamentally for working for the benefit of the people of Guatemala,” Porras commented. to journalists.
Anywhere
She was asked if she were willing to meet with President Arévalo and she responded: “As many times as possible, I invite him publicly, I will wait for him at the Public Ministry so that we can talk as many times as he needs.”
Porras was asked why the meeting was at the MP and not the Presidential House and he responded: “Anywhere. I am here to serve you, because my obligation is to serve the people of Guatemala and I will always work with all officials, as long as the laws of the country are respected,” Porras mentioned.
Investigation once morest Giammattei
The prosecutor was also asked if there was any open investigation once morest former president Alejandro Giammattei and responded that they investigate all complaints that are brought to the attention of the MP.
“I urge you to go to all the prosecutor’s offices, verify all the complaints presented and all of them are given the corresponding investigative treatment in accordance with the law,” the prosecutor said without answering if there was any case once morest Giammattei.
The attorney general of @MPguatemala indicated that she is willing to meet with the president @BArevalodeLeon and avoided answering if there is an investigation once morest the former presidents @jimmymoralesgt y @DrGiammattei .@Guatevision_tv @free Press pic.twitter.com/awZvJryFCX
— Leslie Sánchez (@lsanchez_gtv) February 27, 2024
Vice President’s Position
Vice President Herrera spoke to the media following the meeting with the prosecutor and was asked her opinion on Porras’ statements that she is willing to meet with Arévalo and responded that there are no quarrels with the official.
He added that Porras participated in the Conabe meeting as part of his duties.
Herrera was asked if she trusted Porras’ work and said that she was not there to judge that situation, but that she expects each official to act according to the circumstances, according to legal procedures, to act ethically and integrity towards the people.
He was asked if the Executive is still asking the prosecutor to resign and he responded that they are respectful of what can legally be done.
Porras was appointed attorney general in 2018 for a four-year period by then-president Jimmy Morales and in 2022 his successor Alejandro Giammattei appointed her for a second term, which expires in 2026.
Porras, 70 years old and included on a list of corrupt and undemocratic actors in the United States since 2021 and in 2023, was also sanctioned by the European Union and Canada.
It is accused by Arévalo, protesters and the international community of supposedly “undermining” democracy and putting the presidential transition at risk and attempting a coup d’état.
The Prosecutor’s Office launched a judicial persecution once morest Arévalo following he surprised by sneaking into the runoff in the June elections.
He also managed to get a judge to suspend Arévalo’s party, Movimiento Semilla, for alleged illegalities in its formation in 2017.
All of these actions were described by Arévalo as an attempted “coup d’état” to prevent him from assuming the Presidency.
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