Guatemalan President-elect Bernardo Arévalo alleges ‘ongoing coup’

By Merlin Delcid, CNN

(CNN) — Guatemalan President-elect Bernardo Arévalo alleged Friday that powerful groups within the country’s justice system who are opposed to his victory in the August 20 presidential runoffs are involved in an “ongoing coup.”

Arévalo said during a press conference that the groups – which he said were headed by the country’s Attorney General – were trying to break the constitutional order and violate democracy.

“These actions constitute a coup that is promoted by the institutions that should guarantee justice in our country, headed by Attorney General Consuelo Porras,” he said.

The Public Ministry is investigating allegations that Movimiento Semilla – Arevalo’s Party – used forged signatures when it was seeking authorization as a political party.

Semilla has denied the allegations and accuses the authorities of trying to keep Arevalo out of power.

Following Arévalo’s remarks, the Public Ministry told CNN that it is “respectful of the opinion of all citizens” and said its function is to investigate what happened.

Prior to the presidential elections, the Public Ministry said its intention was not to disqualify any candidate, but that it only sought to comply with the law.

Arévalo said that his party has filed several appeals to assert his right to govern Guatemala for the next four years and demand that the election result be respected.

The legal status of the Movimiento Semilla party was provisionally canceled on Monday by the Citizens’ Registry – a dependency of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal – only hours before the magistrates of that same court made official the party’s victory in the runoff.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday the Board of Directors of Congress declared the current and elected deputies under the Semilla banner independent.

This will prevent them from integrating the Board of Directors, work commissions and representing Guatemala abroad.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.