Guatemala City, January 8 (EFE). – The elected President of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo de León, presented this Monday his government cabinet, made up of seven men and seven women, which is scheduled to start on January 14 after his investment.
“We have chosen capable and courageous people who will undertake this commitment to the nation in the midst of this political crisis,” said Arévalo de León when introducing his government team in the Guatemalan capital.
Arévalo de León's team consists of 14 officials, including academics, journalists and others who have worked as ministers in the past.
This is the first time that there is a cabinet with gender parity in Guatemala, and Arévalo de León assured that efforts will be made to integrate more people from different cultures during his term.
As of next Sunday, the elected president appointed the experienced diplomat Carlos Martínez to take over the position at the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry.
In other key portfolios such as healthcare, Oscar Cordón Cruz and Jonathan Menkos have been appointed to lead finance.
According to the president, “restoring institutions weakened by corruption” will be the new cabinet’s biggest challenge.
During the event, Arévalo de León was questioned about the appointment of Jazmín De la Vega as communications minister because of her ties to the Guatemalan Construction Chamber and the country's business elite.
The President-elect assured that he had not received any pressure for the appointment of the officials presented that day.
Arévalo de León, who won the presidency on August 20, 2023, assured EFE last week that there is no doubt that he will take power despite the attempts of the Public Ministry (Prosecution) to prevent it.
Last September, the president-elect publicly denounced that Consuelo Porras, head of the public prosecutor's office, was leading an attempted “coup” to ignore the election results.
This Sunday, 65-year-old Arévalo de León will take over the 2024-2028 government, replacing current President Alejandro Giammattei.
(c) EFE Agency