© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Lucrecia Peinado, spouse of Guatemalan President-elect Bernardo Arevalo, speaks throughout a protest in help of democracy, because the U.S. and different international locations accuse present Guatemalan authorities of making an attempt to dam Arevalo’s accession, in Guatemala
By Sofia Menchu
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) – A Guatemalan prosecutor moved to strip President-elect Bernardo Arevalo of his immunity from prosecution on Thursday, within the newest escalation of a political disaster that critics say is an undemocratic scheme aimed toward overturning the election outcomes.
Prosecutor Angel Sanchez, who works below Legal professional Normal Consuelo Porras, accused Arevalo and his operating mate of complicity within the takeover of the capital’s San Carlos College final yr, blaming them of damaging cultural belongings, illicit affiliation and affect trafficking.
Porras, accused by the U.S. authorities of corruption, has pursued a prison investigation in opposition to anti-corruption reformer Arevalo in addition to his center-left Seed Motion get together since earlier than he gained a landslide run-off election in August.
Looking for to strip Arevalo and Vice President-elect Karin Herrera’s immunity may result in arrest warrants and finally disrupt their scheduled inauguration in January, although each judges and lawmakers should nonetheless weigh in.
Afterward Thursday, Arevalo dismissed the prosecutor’s motion as “absolutely illegal” and an affront to democracy.
“What we’re seeing is their limitless capacity to fabricate cases,” mentioned Arevalo, including the efforts won’t forestall him from taking workplace.
The prosecutor’s actions, which additionally embody issuing arrest warrants for 27 others in addition to recent police raids in the hunt for proof, was additionally condemned by a senior U.S. diplomat.
“Today’s raids (ordered by prosecutors) and other ongoing efforts to undermine democracy in Guatemala are unacceptable,” wrote Brian Nichols, U.S. assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, in a submit on messaging platform X. He added these searching for to dam Arevalo “will face consequences” however didn’t go into additional element.
Since Arevalo’s 20-point margin of victory in August, mass avenue protests have damaged out throughout the nation demanding Porras’ resignation.
