2023-09-19 20:47:00
The secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, presented his report on the situation in Guatemala to the Permanent Council of that organization. In his speech he called to resume the transition process promoted by Alejandro Giammattei’s government and questioned the Public Ministry (MP) for trying to prosecute the Semilla Movement party outside the “electoral orbit.”
What to highlight. Almagro reviewed the events that occurred during the electoral process in Guatemala and spoke about some consequences of the successful cancellation of Semilla.
He said that political uncertainty persists, because although Semilla’s provisional suspension is currently on hold, the substance of the matter has not been resolved: that a court can cancel a political party.
He recalled that Bernardo Arévalo can assume the position of president without a political party, but this would disqualify the 23 elected deputies from chairing commissions in the Congress of the Republic or being part of the Board of Directors, which would be “mocking the popular will.”
He stressed that any situation other than handing over power to Arévalo “would be to alter the democratic order” and not respect the popular will.
Why does it matter? The Secretary General of the OAS emphasized that governability “must be assured” and that this is achieved by resuming the transition.
You must have “open channels, you must always talk and have dialogue,” Almagro emphasized, indicating that Semilla is willing, as long as “the attacks” by the Public Ministry stop.
In addition, he called on the Congress of the Republic to follow the example of the Executive Branch in the sense of recognizing the “popular will” and the electoral victory of Arévalo and Karin Herrera.
He asked that after October 31, when the electoral process ends, “justice cannot be used as an electoral tool,” and that the presidents (Giammattei and Arévalo) maintain communication channels to “address the main political problems.”
Yes, but. Regarding the meeting with the Public Ministry (MP), Almagro acknowledged that he was received by the authorities, but indicated that some statements by the Prosecutor’s Office are false. He said the presentations were “very illuminating,” but his conclusion is that the actions “affect the transition process.”
“The complaints expressed by the MP are without clarity and without legal classification, they are clearly persecutory of a political party. The persecution against the Semilla party must stop,” said Almagro. He added that there is a “prejudgment” by the Prosecutor’s Office against Semilla politicians such as Arévalo and deputy Samuel Pérez.
Furthermore, he commented that it is not true that there is interference by the OAS in Guatemala’s electoral process because the institution was invited by President Giammattei.
“If nothing is broken, we should not break anything, nor allow the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity, without competence in electoral issues, to break anything, much less the institutions and the Constitution of the country,” Almagro concluded.
You. The Foreign Minister of Guatemala, Mario Búcaro, established the government’s position after the presentation of the report of the Secretary General of the OAS.
“Guatemala has stood out for its independence of powers and support for the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the governing body of the electoral process. The President has emphasized that democracy triumphed and the separation of powers has been respected,” said Búcaro.
“There is legal certainty and the Executive Branch has respected the results of the second round of elections,” the official emphasized, detailing that the officialization of the election results is firm.
For this reason, he asked the OAS Permanent Council to “refrain from adverse policies against the country…” and not act against the transition process that the Government is willing to resume when Semilla decides to do so.
The balance. After hearing Almagro’s report, the countries expressed their concern about the MP’s actions and agreed on the call to “respect the popular will.”
The United States ambassador to the OAS, Frank Mora, called for an end to the “intimidation efforts against the Semilla party” because “the actions we have seen attack the heart of the electoral process.”
“Despite the inconsistencies noted in his report, during both visits, Secretary Almagro was able to learn from the official source that all cases investigated by the Public Ministry are carried out with objectivity and impartiality… ensuring strict compliance of the law and the rule of law, which prevents the rights of Guatemalans from being violated,” said the MP.
“The investigation is a guarantee of the rights of each citizen; it cannot be considered intimidation or harassment since the investigation is the only means that will allow the investigation of the facts reported by the victims,” added the Prosecutor’s Office.
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