New Blow to Guatemala's Electoral Process

author: FutureCar Staff    

The electoral process in Guatemala faced a setback on Monday as President-elect Bernardo Arévalo de León's Movimiento Semilla party was suspended. This "provisional" suspension raises concerns ahead of his scheduled inauguration on Jan. 14. Former Attorney General Thelma Aldana, who was not allowed to run as a presidential candidate for Movimiento Semilla in 2019, expressed her dismay, stating that Guatemala is currently experiencing dark hours. Aldana, now in exile in the United States, added that what used to be bullets are now judges and prosecutors attacking democracy.

The suspension of Movimiento Semilla was confirmed by the social democratic political party itself and was ordered by the Citizens' Registry, a department of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. This suspension overshadowed the official release of the Aug. 20 presidential election results, which certified Arévalo de León's victory. However, the magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal distanced themselves from the decision to suspend Movimiento Semilla, claiming that they were not aware of the order issued by the head of the Citizens' Registry, Ramiro Muñoz.

Movimiento Semilla informed EFE that they had been officially notified of the suspension, but the magistrates stated that they were in session and were not aware of the case. The political party has three days to appeal the decision, as the magistrates will not act ex officio since the case does not fall under their jurisdiction. Despite the uncertainty caused by the suspension and the lack of knowledge about the matter, the magistrates declared that Arévalo de León would still become president on Jan. 14 for a four-year term, as the citizens had expressed their choice at the polls.

Magistrate Gabriel Aguilera emphasized that the news of the day was the court's certification of Arévalo de León's victory. He won the presidential runoff on Aug. 20, defeating former first lady Sandra Torres Casanova by almost one million votes. However, Arévalo de León and his party have been under scrutiny since July 12 due to allegations of false signatures during the party's founding in 2018. Both the top officials of the attorney general's office and the judge who ordered the suspension of Movimiento Semilla, Fredy Orellana, have been sanctioned by the United States on charges of "undermining" justice.

Overall, the suspension of Movimiento Semilla raises concerns about the electoral process in Guatemala, but the magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal remain confident in Arévalo de León's presidency. The situation highlights the ongoing challenges and controversies surrounding the party and its victory in the recent elections.

FutureCar Staff