Democracy is Under Attack in Guatemala

Written by Jose Aguilar | December 3, 2023

---

This week, corrupt actors and networks in Guatemala have been hard at work to undermine democracy and the rule of law. The attacks against President-elect Bernardo Arévalo have intensified this week as prosecutors aim to strip him of his political immunity. The Vice-President elect Karin Herrera and other members of the Semilla (seed) Party are also targets of being stripped of their political immunity. There are multiple scenarios that can occur between now and January 2024, when the new administration is set to start the new term; if neither the president-elect nor his party makes it, the Guatemalan Congress is set to elect a new candidate. Experts state that this is extremely concerning since the Guatemalan Congress and the Prosecutor’s office (Ministerio Público de Guatemala) are leading the attacks against Arévalo and his party. This week, three magistrates of the Electoral Tribunal were stripped of their political immunity, and there are reports that they have left the country, most likely having gone into exile. The Electoral Tribunal and these magistrates were upholding democracy in Guatemala until they were targeted too.

This occurs in the context that the losing party still has not conceded to losing the elections. Also, the current administration in Guatemala, led by Alejandro Giammatei, has one of the lowest approval ratings in the region. This sentiment has been expressed for months due to the significant support the President-elect has received around the country. The United States, through the Department of the Treasury and the Department of State, has released statements in response to the increased attacks on democracy in Guatemala. They sanctioned a close associate of the current Guatemalan president, Luis Miguel Martinez Morales, for engaging in public corruption and undermining a democratic transfer of power in the country. This fits the United States’ strategy to strengthen the Americas; as stated before, corrupt actors and networks are part of the cause of irregular migration from Central America. The Organization of American States (OAS) will have a meeting on Monday, December 4, to discuss the recent events in Guatemala and how these weaken governance and the rule of law. The Guatemalan people are calling on the international community to pay more attention to the seriousness of the attacks against democracy in Guatemala.