Five hours late than the scheduled time, the Congress of Guatemala with its 160 deputies that comprise it, have already been able to collect their credentials and the way is clear to proceed with the investiture of Bernardo Arévalo de León, as the new president of the country.
For several hours there have been moments of tension outside and inside the Guatemalan Congress, which have led the European Union and the Organization of American States (OAS) to call for, as required by the country’s Constitution, power to be handed over to the president elected at the polls. A statement that the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, read after a meeting with several foreign ministers who have traveled to Guatemala.
He progressive Arévalo won the elections in August with his promise of fight corruption and since the summer he has faced several complaints from the Prosecutor’s Office who have tried without success, until today, that the change of government did not occur. The international community and the country’s indigenous communities have closed ranks around the new president who will officially be president this Monday.
Congress revokes the suspension of the Semilla Movement
The Lower House constituted this Sunday for the 2024-2028 legislature is very fragmented, which represents a serious obstacle to governability that the new Guatemalan head of State will have to face.
The main political force is the opposition party Come on, which supports the outgoing president, Alejandro Giammattei, and has 39 representatives. The second parliamentary bench is that of the National Unity of Hope (UNE) party, led by former presidential candidate Sandra Torres, who lost in the runoff against Bernardo Arévalo in August of last year.
Meanwhile, the Semilla Movement, Arévalo’s main support, went from having six seats in the 2020-2024 legislature to 23 currently. However, Semilla’s deputies are suspended from their positions by order of a criminal judge and a congressional commission, a decision revoked by Congress with 93 votes in favor of the 160 deputies that make up the Legislative Body.
Arévalo assures that the new president of Guatemala will be invested
The incidents inside the House They have also had their reflection on the streetwhen dozens of adherents of Bernardo Arévalo gathered in the vicinity of Congress and engaged in some clashes with the riot agents guarding the premises, without any injuries or arrests being reported.
“I am here at the Theater (National Miguel Ángel Asturias) waiting for the Congress, which has been so delayed, to finish its things,” Arévalo published on the social network to everyone in Central Park for this “great celebration of the arrival of spring”declared the elected ruler.