01/13/2024 9:30 pm (current 01/13/2024 9:30 pm)
Social Democrat Bernardo Arévalo ©APA/AFP
Social Democrat Bernardo Arévalo takes office as the new president of Guatemala on Sunday. After months of attempts by his opponents, especially in the judiciary, to prevent the transfer of power, Arévalo will now be sworn in as successor to the conservative head of state Alejandro Giammattei. On Friday, the EU threatened sanctions on people and organizations that undermine democracy and the peaceful change of government in Guatemala.
Around 300 people have already had their US visas revoked for undermining democracy. Arévalo won the presidential elections in August last year with 60% of the votes. Since then, the attorney general's office and some judges have tried to overturn the election.
Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America, with 17 million inhabitants. The presidential term is four years. Arévalo, 65, son of the country's first democratically elected president, Juan José Arévalo (1945-1951), promised to combat widespread corruption in the country.