The Colombian president, Gustavo Petromet this Sunday in Ciudad de Guatemala with the elected president of this country, Bernardo Arévalo de Leónbefore the investiture ceremony, which is delayed because the outgoing deputies of Congress have not yet sworn in those elected and this is a necessary requirement to carry out the transfer of command.
“Here in Guatemala, The Congress of the Republic still does not agree to elect its board of directors which is what has to take office to President Bernardo Arévalo”Petro explained on his X account (formerly Twitter).
During the meeting, Petro and Arévalo spoke about the situation in Congress that is delaying the possessionbut also other issues that are part of the bilateral agenda that Colombia and Guatemala want to build.
Both leaders talked about the new realities in America, with reference to mafias and political corruption which is at the origin of the violence that plagues the region, while they proposed a regional security dialogue, according to information from the Colombian Presidency.
Uncertain situation
Uncertainty has taken over the situation in Parliamentwhile hundreds of Arévalo supporters have gathered around Congress to protest these delaying maneuvers.
Clashes, insults, deputies locked in locked rooms and general chaos describe what is happening in the Guatemalan Congress, as EFE has been able to verify.
The deputies of the new legislature planned to elect the new president of Congress at noon (18:00 GMT)but at around 3:00 p.m. local time (9:00 p.m. GMT), the outgoing Congress had not even certified the 160 new members of Parliament, which has meant that the president’s investiture is still in suspense.
The swearing-in of the new Guatemalan Congress for the period 2024-2028 must be carried out as a prerequisite to the investiture of the elected president, Bernardo Arévalo de Leóna ceremony that is scheduled to be held at the National Theater before a dozen heads of state attending the Guatemalan capital.
This circumstance raised fears of an eventual “coup d’état.”as the president-elect himself has been denouncing, accusing the head of the Public Ministry, Consuelo Porras, and “other corrupt actors” of obstructing and preventing his inauguration.
On Saturday, Petro called on all presidents to attend the Arévalo de León ceremony to support him in the face of attempts by the Prosecutor’s Office and other entities to prevent him from being sworn in as the new president, after obtaining the majority in the last elections.
Colombia’s support
“The Prosecutor’s Office, as in Peru, as in Colombia, has had an adverse attitude towards the presidency and has even tried to imprison the vice president elected by the people”Petro explained.
Besides, The Colombian president also denounced that the Guatemalan authorities have not yet allowed his Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquez, to enter the country.who served, by mandate of the UN, as head of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).
The tension of this day has been the general tone of an electoral and transition process marked by the attempts since last July by the Public Ministry (Prosecutor’s Office) to outlaw the Semilla Movement party – the main support for the president-elect – and prevent Arévalo de León from taking possession this January 14.