:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/S722GI34COBSTJOHCG3UZ3G4JQ.jpg "US and EU Condemn Raid on Guatemalan Presidential Candidate’s Headquarters")
Title: US Accuses Guatemalan Public Ministry of Undermining Will of the People Amidst Raids on Political Parties
Subtitle: European Union Echos Concerns Over Actions Against Parties Involved in Electoral Process
Date: [Current Date]
[City], [Country] – Supporters of Guatemalan presidential candidate Bernardo Arévalo, from the Seed Movement, took to the streets in protest demanding respect for the results of the first round. Meanwhile, the United States and the European Union expressed their concerns over the recent raids conducted by the Guatemalan Public Ministry on the headquarters of the Seed Movement and the Citizen Registry.
The US government officials condemned the actions, stating that using judicial institutions in an arbitrary manner to undermine the will of the people is a tactic often employed by authoritarian regimes. They likened the situation to those in countries like Cuba and Nicaragua, adding that it is characteristic of a dictatorship. The Joe Biden administration expressed deep concerns about these actions, emphasizing its readiness to defend the will of the Guatemalan people and the integrity of the electoral process.
The European Union External Action Service also called on authorities in Guatemala to fully respect the integrity of the electoral process and the results of the first round, as certified by the country’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal. The EU expressed utmost concerns over the actions initiated by the Special Prosecutor’s Office against Impunity, which resulted in arrest warrants and a search at the TSE offices. The European Union highlighted that these actions have been widely rejected by the international community and have sparked massive mobilizations in Guatemala supported by civil society, the private sector, and the Church.
The tensions arose as the Prosecutor’s Office attempted to suspend the Semilla political party, which chose Arévalo to run in the second round of elections scheduled for August 20. The party’s headquarters were raided as part of these efforts, leading to international condemnations. The Guatemalan Constitutional Court, however, reiterated that the second round must proceed as planned, with Sandra Torres and Bernardo Arévalo de León as the candidates.
The international community, including the Organization of American States (OAS), has recognized the integrity of the first round held on June 25 and stressed the importance of allowing the Guatemalan people to decide in the upcoming second round.
The United States, through the Department of State, has already sanctioned individuals involved, including the Special Prosecutor against impunity, Rafael Curruchiche, and the Guatemalan attorney general, María Consuelo Porras. Additionally, the prosecutor Cinthia Monterroso and Judge Fredy Orellana, who endorsed the suspension of the party, were included in the “Engel List” of corrupt individuals.
The US ambassador in Guatemala, William Popp, has been in contact with all parties involved, seeking to find a resolution to the conflict.
The Semilla party emerged from the anti-corruption demonstrations that swept through Guatemala in 2015, leading to the downfall of President Otto Pérez Molina, who is currently serving a prison sentence.
It remains to be seen how these developments will unfold, as the international community closely monitors the situation in Guatemala, placing emphasis on upholding the principles of democracy and respecting the will of the people.
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