This Monday, Guatemala marks a week in a row of strikes, protests and blockades on its main roads as a means of pressure to demand the resignation of Consuelo Porras Argueta, the attorney general who, according to President-elect Bernardo Arévalo de León, is leading a coup to take over his for to prevent the inauguration planned for January. The civil society response began on Monday, October 2, with sit-ins by indigenous peoples in their territories and at the headquarters of the Ministry of State (MP) in Guatemala City. As the days passed, across the country, groups of university students, professionals, social organizations, merchants and neighborhood committees became active to defend democracy and demand respect for the popular will expressed in the elections. By Friday evening, the pickets had multiplied and the country was paralyzed. Porras excludes the submission of his resignation and the State Ministry assures that “the work continues without inconvenience”.
Citizens have mobilized in “defense of democracy” to express their opposition to attempts to overturn the electoral victory of the presidential duo of the Semilla movement. According to several lawyers, the progressive party is at risk of dissolution that borders on unconstitutionality. Both Arévalo and the organization’s leaders fear that prosecutors will redouble their prosecution.
Citizens’ outrage escalated a week ago after the records of elections held in August were confiscated. The search lasted about 20 hours and ended in a dispute between prosecutors and Supreme Electoral Court judges. They objected to confiscating the ballots containing the results because they are legally responsible for preserving the original documents.
Prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche, who is leading cases against exiled journalists and former judiciary officials, justified the seizure of electoral materials to spur a new investigation. Arévalo described the operation as an escalation of “judicial violence” aimed at “the annulment of the election results and the destruction of the democratic regime.”
Both Arévalo and the indigenous authorities have invoked the application of the Inter-American Democratic Charter in the face of a change in the constitutional order, so that the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) analyzes the situation and takes the necessary decisions promoting the normalization of institutionality. . The Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, accepted for now the call of President Alejandro Giammattei to mediate a dialogue between the social sectors leading the protests and the government.
Call for the attention of the Constitutional Court
Join EL PAÍS to follow all the news and read without restrictions.
Subscribe to
Amid a wave of protests, the Constitutional Court on Friday evening accepted the appeal of a group of ten citizens who had warned of an impending collapse of democracy in order to prevent the inauguration of Bernardo Arévalo on January 14th. The lawsuit includes the suspension of the Semilla movement by a criminal judge and the boycott of the elections. These events threaten a democratic collapse, explained lawyer Edgar Ortiz.
The lawyer, who belongs to this group of citizens, emphasized how important it is that the Constitutional Court “recognizes for the first time a democratic threat; “While it is not the end point of the crisis, guidelines have already been established for the bodies involved” in order to maintain institutionality, he explained to ELPAÍS. “If you read between the lines, the court’s decision calls on the State Ministry to adhere to the law and the judiciary to adjust to the proportionality of the measures. This means that there are measures that are outside the bounds of reason,” Ortiz continues.
“The court sends a political message and sets guidelines. “It’s a long game, but the Amparo guidelines will be used to assess later whether they were complied with or not,” concludes the lawyer. In its decision, the court focuses on the defense of the democratic order and the transition of power, which guarantees the renewal of rulers, deputies and mayors on the dates provided for in the Constitution.
However, for other lawyers, the court’s decision is not clear as it does not ensure Arévalo’s takeover. “The demonstration and resistance remain legitimate and necessary for these officials to leave,” says lawyer Oswaldo Samayoa, who expresses concern that the dialogue promoted by the Secretary General of the OAS does not descend into “a perverse game of manipulation.”
On Friday, Arévalo, for his part, thanked the civil movements for rejecting “the attempts of a corrupt public ministry to violate the will of the people.”
The collapse of the plan
Proposing to reject corruption head-on and redirect a country on the verge of authoritarianism, Arévalo won the presidential election with the support of 2.4 million citizens, 58% of the valid votes cast on August 20. The candidates of the Semilla movement competed in a context of judicialization and blocking of candidates who wanted to favor the party of President Alejandro Giammattei and his allies.
“With our vote we have destroyed their plan and that is why they want to steal the elections,” said Rolando Canto, one of the hundreds of protesters who arrived at the State Department headquarters on Friday evening. On the streets, calls continue for the resignation of prosecutor Consuelo Porras and members of her team such as Rafael Curruchiche and Judge Fredy Orellana, who no longer enjoy the public’s trust. The mobilizations are the only resource of the population that does not find an answer or defense in the justice system, said Luis Pacheco, president of the 48 cantons of Totonicapán, one of the indigenous organizations that led the protest. “We have already submitted letters of warning to demand the resignation of officials who do not respect the will of the people, other lawyers are offering protection measures, but there is no real solution to the crisis,” he said at the end of the fifth day of protests outside parliament Public Ministry.
Indigenous peoples have also asked President Alejandro Giammattei to remove Attorney General Consuelo Porras. “More people are joining in every day and we recognize that the concern is widespread; I am satisfied, happy and also tired,” says Pacheco ELPAÍS. The courage and organizational skills of indigenous peoples have inspired citizens who express their appreciation on social networks and repeat their actions, but it is beginning to be a difficult burden to deal with. “We call for precautionary measures at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to protect ourselves, as indigenous leaders may be criminalized, but the actions are a collective responsibility,” explains the community leader.
Follow all international information on Facebook and Xor in our weekly newsletter.