Guatemala’s president-elect has announced a suspension of the transition process with the outgoing government

President-elect of Guatemala, BERNARDO AREVALO DE LEONThis Tuesday he said he had temporarily suspended the transition process with the current government. Alejandro GiamatteiAfter the actions of the Public Ministry (Prosecutor’s Office) against the June 25 elections.

Arevalo de León indicated in a press conference that the decision was taken “because of the situation” caused by the public ministry. “When the necessary political conditions are re-established.”

In addition, the president-elect demanded the resignation of the Attorney General and head of the Public Ministry, Consuelo Boras, who had already accused him on September 1 of staging a “coup” against him.

“Guatemalas, the coup plotters must resign, Attorney General Consuelo Boras, Prosecutor Rafael Krucic and Judge Freddy Orellana have embarked on a new expansion in the coup d’état in a perverse association,” Arrivalo said at a press conference, announcing the suspension. A transition process leading to his inauguration in January 2024.

President of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal of Guatemala (TSE)Irma Palencia vowed that “Vote’s custody was broken” this Tuesday.After the Ministry of Public Affairs (Prosecutor’s Office) decided to open several ballot boxes and reconsider ballots outside the parameters indicated by law.

Judge Palencia warned that the actions of the prosecutor’s office “are no longer responsible for the vote” and interference. “This is serious and puts the electoral process at risk.”

The words of Guatemala’s highest electoral official were recorded at a press conference after the prosecutor’s office decided on June 25 to intervene in at least 160 ballot boxes where the votes cast by thousands of Guatemalans were stored.

Palencia described the prosecutor’s office’s action as “horrible” and recalled that the election results were “in no way invalid” because they had already become official. Since the public posts won by the election have already been given.

The TSE recalled that according to Article 243 of the Electoral Act, only election boards made up of citizens can count votes.

Also, Judge Gabriel Aguilera assured that the Electoral Court will not have access to the investigation that justified the Prosecutor’s Office’s access to the ballots.

The trial was conducted in the prosecutor’s office under the leadership of the prosecutor Raphael KuruchichAdmitted by the US in 2022 on charges of corruption and subversion of justice.

The intercepted ballot boxes contain votes for the election of president, vice-presidents and municipal mayors, and the prosecutor’s office said diligence will continue throughout the week.

Being a progressive academic BERNARDO AREVALO DE LEONNow Guatemala’s president-elect has advanced to the runoff, the prosecutor’s office and criminal judge Freddy Orellana have taken legal action to annul his party, the Semilla Movement, over allegations that he forged signatures during its creation.

According to President Valencia, the electoral court will take legal action against the prosecutor’s office for violating the chain of votes.

On January 14, Aravalo de León will assume the presidency of Guatemala for the term 2024-2028 and become the country’s first social democratic leader.

For its part, The European Union expressed its “serious concern” this Tuesday about the “unjustified” and “arbitrary” recording by the Office of the Special Prosecutor against Impunity (FECI). at the facilities of the TSE of Guatemala.

“(They are) unacceptable and persistent efforts to undermine the results through selective and arbitrary judicial and procedural measures, which do not comply with the international and regional norms to which Guatemala subscribes,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Peter Stano said in a statement.

In this sense, he reiterated the call to institutions and branches of the Guatemalan government to “fully respect the results of the elections” certified by the country’s highest electoral commission and announced on August 28.

Likewise, he insisted, “abstain from any action that could undermine the results of the elections – in which the leftist Bernardo Arevalo, already elected president, won – or endanger the peaceful and orderly transition of power.”

(With information from EFE and Europa Press)