Brazil urges Guatemalan authorities to respect election result

The Brazilian government asked the Guatemalan authorities this Friday (01) to respect the results of the elections won by Bernardo Arévalo de León and to guarantee a peaceful transition.

In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil expressed concern about the political situation in Guatemala, after the announcement of the provisional suspension of the legal status of Movimiento Semilla, Arévalo de León’s party.

“The Brazilian government understands that legal certainty and predictability of the transition process, as well as respect for the prerogatives and immunities of electoral authorities, political parties and elected candidates are indispensable elements for the effective exercise of popular sovereignty through voting. “, says the statement from the Itamaraty.

The Ministry also welcomed the declaration approved by the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) that gives the organization’s secretary general, Luis Almagro, greater authority to oversee the transition process in Guatemala.

Arévalo de León won the elections in the second round

Arévalo de León won the elections for the presidency of the Central American country for the 2024-2028 term in the second round played on August 20, with 2.5 million votes. He edged out former First Lady Sandra Torres Casanova of the National Unity of Hope (UNE) by 21 percentage points.

However, last Monday (28), the Citizens’ Registry of the Supreme Electoral Court of Guatemala provisionally suspended Arevalo de León’s party.

This unprecedented decision created uncertainty and caused serious concern in several countries.

On Wednesday (30), the Guatemalan Congress agreed not to recognize the Movimiento Semilla bench by order of Judge Fredy Orellana, who has been accused of undermining justice and corruption by the US State Department.

Already this Friday (01), Arévalo de León assured that the country is suffering a “coup d’état” orchestrated with the aim of preventing his inauguration and that of members of his political party, scheduled for January 14, 2024.