Academic Bernardo Arévalo de León, 64, from the progressive Semilla party, has been elected as Guatemala’s new president
The Brazilian government asked the authorities this Friday 1st Guatemala who respect the results Choose won by Bernardo Arévalo de León and which guarantee a peaceful transition. In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil expressed concern about the political situation in Guatemala following the announcement of the temporary suspension of the legal personality of the Semilla Movement, Arévalo de León’s party. “The Brazilian Government is clear that legal certainty and predictability of the transition process, as well as respect for the prerogatives and immunities of electoral authorities, political parties and elected candidates, are indispensable elements for the effective exercise of popular sovereignty through voting,” the statement said.
Itamaraty also congratulated the declaration adopted today by the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS), which gives the organization’s Secretary General Luis Almagro greater powers to oversee the transition process in Guatemala. Arévalo de León won the Central American country’s presidential elections for the 20242028 term in the second round on August 20 with 2.5 million votes. He outperformed former first lady Sandra Torres Casanova of the National Unit of Hope (UNE) by 21 percentage points. However, last Monday, the Citizens Registry of the Supreme Electoral Court of Guatemala provisionally suspended Arevalo de León’s party 28 million years ago.
This unprecedented decision caused uncertainty and great concern in several countries. On Wednesday 30, the Guatemalan Congress agreed not to recognize the bench of the Movimiento Semilla, by order of Judge Fredy Orellana, accused by the US State Department of subverting justice and corruption. This Friday, Arévalo de León assured that the country is experiencing a “coup d’etat” staged with the aim of preventing his inauguration and that of the members of his political party, scheduled for January 14, 2024.
*With information from the EFE agency