Bernardo Arevalo has entered a period of perilous transition. Triumphantly elected in the second round of the presidential election in Guatemala on August 20, with 60.9% of the vote, on the promise to fight corruption, this 64-year-old sociologist, former diplomat and doctor of philosophy must take the reins of the Central American country. on January 14, 2024. But he and his party, Semilla, have for two months been the targets of legal attacks and more insidious threats from corrupt elites, who feel threatened by his future coming to power. During his campaign, this outsider had denounced two plots to assassinate him. One of them, nicknamed “Colosio plan”, would have been sponsored by state agents who wanted to eliminate it before the second round. Threats deemed sufficiently serious by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for it to ask the outgoing government of Alejandro Giammattei to place the candidate under protection.
Monday, August 28, after a week of suspense, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal finally validated the results of the ballot, formalizing the victory of Bernardo Arevalo and his running mate, academic Karin Herrera. But the same day, the electoral magistrates temporarily suspended the Semilla party, which appealed. This suspension follows a controversial investigation launched by the public ministry during the inter-rounds into alleged anomalies concerning the registration of party members in 2017. The general secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) has immediately denounced a decision ” unfounded “, based on a “abusive interpretation of the law”.
“I see these mixed messages as psychological warfare that aims to cripple society and push the incoming government to defend itself instead of delivering the transformation it promises. warns Luis Mack, a political scientist at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences. These attacks drain him of energy and demobilize the citizens. »
“Interference by the public prosecutor’s office”
Tuesday August 29, while Mexico, Spain and the United States expressed their concerns about attempts to “undermining democracy” President Giammattei finally announced the launch of a transition process “orderly, transparent and above all efficient” starting September 4, to which observers from the OAS will be invited.
“Guatemala should be celebrating democratic progress, yet there is an atmosphere of bewilderment and concern. I am afraid that the transition period will not take place in a peaceful manner,” emphasizes Thelma Aldana. This renowned magistrate, former presidential candidate, maintains that “the main problem at the moment is the interference of the public prosecutor in the electoral process”.
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