The Public Ministry (Prosecutor’s Office) of Guatemala tried again last Friday to overthrow the triumph of the president-elect, the academic Bernardo Arévalo de Leónwith new accusations against him and also against the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.
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These are the keys to understanding the “attempted coup d’état,” as the Organization of American States (OAS) has called it, in Guatemala, where Arévalo de León He must be invested on January 14 in accordance with the law.
1. The prosecution of the Prosecutor’s Office
Since July, after the surprising second place of Arévalo de Leon, the Prosecutor’s Office has tried with several criminal cases to reverse the victory of Arévalo de León and given his little progress in that section, it has also undertaken a criminal battle against the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.
According to experts and analysts, this is because an investiture of Arévalo de León on January 14 would be the beginning of an anti-corruption regime, which in turn would bring dozens of officials, former officials, businessmen, ministers, to justice for bribery. soldiers, deputies and former presidents, in addition to the leadership of the Prosecutor’s Office itself.
2. The crumbling Electoral Tribunal
Despite the attempts of the Prosecutor’s Office to annul the elections this Friday, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal He indicated in a press conference that the results of the elections are sealed and accredited.
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However, the Court is in disarray, since four of its regular judges left the country due to persecution by the Prosecutor’s Office. Even the president of the Court, Blanca Alfaro, said that a resolution from the country’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, does have the power to annul the elections.
3. The Constitutional Court
The country’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, will therefore have the final decision regarding the elections and an annulment of the same would be unprecedented since the implementation of democracy in 1986. So far, the magistrates have not ruled. .
The Court is made up of judges mostly related to the current president, Alejandro Giammattei, and his allies in Congress.
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4. Giammattei’s environment
On December 1, the United States sanctioned the former official of the current Government Miguel Martínez Morales with the “Magnitsky Law”, accusing him of million-dollar cases of corruption and other alleged crimes. The sanction was disclosed just after Congress removed the immunity of electoral magistrates.
According to what the opposition deputy and first openly homosexual legislator in the history of Guatemala, Aldo Dávila, recently stated, Martínez Morales would be Giammattei’s romantic partner.
In this regard, consulted by the local press, Martinez Morales He said that “you say it yourselves,” without further comment on the matter.
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5. Pressure from the United States and the OAS
In the last 45 days, three delegations from USA They have arrived in the Central American country to meet with local authorities and verify the electoral transition process.
Added to this is a group of senators and legislators who arrived in Guatemala this Friday. However, the Prosecutor’s Office rejected any type of international interference this Friday and everything indicates that they are willing to keep up the fight to reverse the electoral results.
