Guatemala Election Watch #10 – July 25, 2023

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July 26, 2023
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Will US do in Guatemala what US has never done?
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Act to help ensure that fully democratic elections are carried out,
with no further persecution, repression or fraud!

25 days to go to August 20th run-off vote

“The government cannot combat corruption. Corruption is the government.”

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U.S. Calls on Guatemalan Authorities to Stop Aggression against Democratic Freedoms
July 25, 2023, by Regina Perez, Prensa Comunitaria
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The political crisis that Guatemala is experiencing, after the interference of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) in the elections, has generated international reactions.

White House spokesperson, Karine Jean-Pierre expressed US concern about the efforts of the Public Prosecutor's Office to interfere in the electoral process, in response to a journalist's question about last Friday's raid on the offices of the Movimiento Semilla party.

In a press conference, the White House spokeswoman responded that the United States is concerned about the efforts of several actors to interfere in the elections and that Guatemalans have the right to vote "without any interference" for the candidate of their preference among the two winners that have been officialized by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) after the first round on June 25.

Threats to arrest electoral officials or party officials threaten to undermine the democratic process in Guatemala, said Jean-Pierre, adding that Guatemala is monitoring the development of this situation with its regional partners and international organizations.
"Guatemalan authorities can show leadership by putting an end to this assault on the basic democratic freedoms of the Guatemalan people," he concluded.

Undersecretary of State Brian Nichols also noted on his Twitter account on Monday that he had a conversation with Guatemalan Foreign Minister Mario Búcaro "about the vital importance of allowing the second round of elections to proceed without interference or harassment of candidates and political parties. Guatemalans have the right to choose their rulers".

The United States is only one of the countries that has expressed its concern about what is happening in Guatemala, after the National Unity of Hope (UNE) and Seed Movement parties passed to the second round and the Public Ministry, together with the seventh judge Fredy Orellana, undertook a series of actions to disqualify the group [Seed] that is running Bernardo Arévalo and Karin Herrera as presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

On July 12, when the TSE made the results official, the Special Prosecutor's Office Against Impunity (FECI) filed a case against the Semilla party and announced that it had requested the suspension of its legal status. In addition, the FECI has conducted raids at the TSE and at the headquarters of the Semilla Party and requested an arrest warrant against the interim director of the Citizen Registry, Eleonora Castillo.

Extraordinary session of the OAS requested
Meanwhile, the Permanent Mission of Colombia, on July 24, requested the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) to hold an extraordinary session to consider the situation in Guatemala. This request was also made on behalf of the missions of Antigua and Barbuda, Chile, Canada and the United States.

At the request of the Mission, the President of the TSE, Irma Palencia, the Secretary of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Tania Reneaum and the head of the OAS Observation Mission, Eladio Loizaga, will participate in the session.

Protests continue
Despite the fact that the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP), headed by Consuelo Porras, states that "it will guarantee the development of the second round of the electoral event with the candidates of the political parties that reached the ballot", diverse sectors have taken to the streets to show their repudiation to the actions of the Public Prosecutor's Office and of Judge Fredy Orellana, when announcing an investigation against the Seed Party, after the results of the first round.

Last Monday, students, professionals, doctors, women, young people and people of all ages demonstrated again in front of the MP headquarters in the capital city to demand the resignation of Porras. Mobilizations have also been registered in the departments and protests are expected to continue.

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Get involved/ Act
Rights Action calls for Americans and Canadians to share this information widely (including media outlets), and your Senators, Members of Congress and Parliamentarian. Urge them to make public statements and bring all pressures to bear on the Guatemalan authorities to ensure that the electoral process proceeds transparently and peacefully to the August 20 run-off vote, and that the Semilla Party is allowed to participate fully with no further attacks of any kind.
* U.S. Senate: [link removed]
* U.S. House: [link removed]
* Canadian Parliament: [link removed]

Movimiento Semilla party
www.moviemientosemilla.gt
Facebook: MovimientoSemilla
Twitter: @semillagt

More information
* Rights Action’s “Guatemala Election Watch” alerts (www.rightsaction.org/emails)
* Twitter feeds of Festivales Solidarios (@festivalesgt) & Prensa Comunitaria (@PrensaCommunitar)
* Prensa Comunitaria’s daily news ([link removed])

As the regime continues with its “lawfare”, it would be wrong to rule out the use of Covenant of the Corrupt repression against the public and/or targeted attacks against members of the Semilla Party.

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Tax-Deductible Donations (Canada & U.S.)
To support land and environmental defenders, and human rights, justice and democracy defense struggles in Honduras and Guatemala, make check to "Rights Action" and mail to:
* U.S.: Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887
* Canada: Box 82552 RPO Corktown, Toronto ON, M5A-1T8

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