The swearing-in of Bernardo Arevalo, who was elected in August promising to fight endemic corruption in the country, was scheduled to begin at 15:00 local time, 23:00 Greek time.
The swearing-in ceremony of Guatemala’s president-elect, Bernardo Arevalo, which was supposed to take place on Sunday after months of uncertainty, has been delayed due to counter-appeals in the parliament, which is controlled by the new opposition.
The swearing-in of Mr Arevalo, who was elected in August on a promise to fight endemic corruption in the country ranked 150 out of 180 on Transparency International’s list, would begin at 15:00 (local time; 23:00 Greek time). .
But there were tense discussions in the semi-circle over whether MPs from the party with which he won the election should be registered as independents.
“What they are doing is delaying the assembly of the House, the tenth parliament, because they do not want President Arevalo to take power,” complained the deputy Jose Ines Castillo.
Outside parliament, hundreds of Mr. Arevalo’s supporters were trying to get past barriers and human chains set up by police to reach the building, AFP cameras recorded.
Guatemala’s public prosecutor’s office and Attorney General Consuelo Porras, who has been blacklisted by the US, secured the temporary removal of the legal status of the president-elect’s party due to alleged irregularities when it was founded in 2017.
The prosecution also tried to secure the annulment of the elections and the lifting of the immunity of Mr. Arevalo and his elected vice-president; these maneuvers were denounced by the US, the EU, the UN and the Organization of American States (OAS).
Chile’s presidents Gabriel Boric and Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, US representatives and the king of Spain are expected to attend the inauguration.
The son of reformer Juan Jose Arevalo, Guatemala’s first democratically elected president after decades of dictatorship, Bernardo Arevalo, 65, has continued to complain that a “slow-motion coup” is underway to overturn the election result.
He succeeds outgoing right-wing president Alejandro Yamate, who is criticized for his support of Attorney General Consuelo Porras and during whose days prosecutors who fought against deep-rooted corruption in government and institutions were arrested or forced into exile.
Source :Skai
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
