Elites linked to organized crime made two attempts to hijack democracy, the will of the people expressed in the elections and the political party described as progressive and moderately reformist at the heart of the target.
Defying all predictions, the group and its candidate for the highest state office, Bernardo Arévalo, aroused too much resentment.
On July 1, the Constitutional Court (CC) suspended the announcement of voting results due to the amparo of nine dissatisfied forces, including President Alejandro Giammattei’s Vamos and the National Unity of Hope led by Sandra Torres.
Along with Valor, who is linked to Zury Ríos, daughter of the late former dictator Efraín Ríos Montt (1982–1983), they joined forces to call for a new vote review hearing over alleged anomalies in the process.
The Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) followed the CC ruling and removed the fraud matrix, but uncertainty resurfaced as the country’s ongoing juridification of politics and politicization of the judiciary was still evident.
On Wednesday afternoon, July 12, at the request of the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity, the Seventh Criminal Court ordered the seed movement’s legal personality suspended and given 24 hours to remove it from the competition.
Early the next day, State Department officials raided the TSE’s Citizens’ Register to steal files related to the Semilla constitution, in a move that was criticized.
In view of the pressure on the authorities on the streets and on social networks, as well as the determined and unified defense of the violation of the constitution, the Central Committee granted the second voting party temporary protection against the ordered suspension.
This decision worked like a balm, calming the seas and allowing the TSE to officially announce the results and green-light the calendar for the runoff election, which is scheduled for August 20th.
The relevant campaigns began, Torres and the frightened power machine increasing fear, disinformation, openly disqualifying Arévalo as he sows hope, the promise of a better nation.
Analysts warn that the tension continues, the risk is greater and another strike, a counterattack, a crude interference could come at any time …
Faced with the possibility of a new electoral coup, there are still calls to be on the alert, defend the shattered democracy and support the burgeoning civil movement in Guatemala.
(Taken from Orb Weekly)
Guatemala, elections, seed movement, Bernardo A