US to impose visa restrictions on nearly 300 Guatemalans for ‘undermining democracy’

The US is moving to impose almost no visa restrictions 300 Guatemalan citizens “To undermine democracy and the rule of law,” the State Department said on Monday.

Pursuant to Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, we are taking action to impose visa restrictions on nearly 300 Guatemalan nationals, including more than 100 members and representatives of the Guatemalan Congress. private sector and their family members who undermine democracy and the rule of law,” the State Department statement said.

Thus, the United States “vehemently condemned Current anti-democratic actions by the Guatemalan Ministry of Public Affairs and other malicious activities that undermine the rule of law in Guatemala. Most recently, the Public Ministry’s announcement of arrest warrants against election workers and party representatives, its demand to revoke the immunity of President-elect Arrivalo, and its efforts to nullify the election results are evidence of its clear intent to illegitimate the election. Guatemala’s just societies and prevent a peaceful transition of power. These actions are clearly inconsistent with the US Democratic Charter.

In October, Guatemala’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) officially released the results of the second round of the Guatemalan presidential election on August 20. Bernardo Arevalo, of the Semilla Movement, and the electoral process is over. However, the Public Ministry has requested the annulment of the entire election process due to alleged irregularities by the Semilla movement, which it wants to prevent Arevalo from taking office on January 14.

“These shameful actions follow a long list of other anti-democratic actions: removing the immunity of election judges, political attacks against members of the opposition, intimidation of peaceful protesters, Inspection of warehouses where records of election results and opening of polling stations are kept“, the statement reads.

“The United States will continue to take steps to impose such restrictions on any person who undermines Guatemalan democracy,” the US State Department said.

For his part, the Ambassador European union In Guatemala, Thomas BaigerThis Sunday it announced the preparation of 27 “sanctions” in Guatemala in response to the machinations of companies and individuals trying to nullify the electoral process.

“As the European Union, we are preparing sanctions within the framework of restrictive measures directed against those responsible for the coup attempt in Guatemala. #DemocracyInPeligro”, Peyker social network X, previously posted on his account on Twitter.

Beiger also cites a message from the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Policy, Joseph BorrellIt condemns “attempts to annul the elections in Guatemala based on baseless allegations of fraud”, which represent “an attempted conspiracy to affect relations between the European Union and Guatemala”.

“We have agreed to adopt a framework of restrictive measures against those responsible,” Borrell said in a statement on Saturday.

(With information from Reuters and Europa Press)