Metropolis Desk-
The US government unveiled plans on Monday to retaliate against actions it deemed to be anti-democratic by officials, such as the top prosecutor in Guatemala, who aim to void the election that President-elect Bernardo Arevalo won handily.
Washington has recently placed restrictions on visas for almost 300 citizens of Guatemala, including 100 members of the 160-member unicameral Congress who are lawmakers. They are alleged to be undermining democracy in the most populous nation in Central America.
Certain representatives of the private sector and their families are also subject to the travel restrictions.
A US State Department official stated that those impacted are “believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy or the rule of law,” even though the identities of the Guatemalans targeted were kept secret due to confidentiality requirements under US law.
Attorney General Consuelo Porras’s attempts to nullify Arevalo’s election victory were vehemently rejected by the governor late last week, branding them as “perverse” and an “attempted coup.”
Following Arevalo’s resounding victory in the run-off election last August, Porras’ office also declared that arrest warrants for Guatemalan electoral officials and party representatives were issued.
“The people of Guatemala have spoken. In a statement, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated that “their voices must be respected.”
Porras’ office, which was accused of irregularities in the party’s registration several years ago, has launched a series of investigations against anti-corruption crusader Arevalo and his center-left Seed Movement party.
A request for comment was not immediately answered by the office of departing President Alejandro Giammattei of Guatemala or by representatives of the legislature.
Porras, her senior aide Rafael Curruchiche, and Fredy Orellana—the judge who ruled that Arevalo’s center-left party must be suspended after he received enough votes in June’s first round to compete in the August run-off—are already on the US government’s “Engel list” of dishonest and undemocratic actors.
Miller went on, “The United States will continue to take steps to impose such restrictions on any individuals (who) undermine Guatemala’s democracy,” but he did not elaborate on what additional measures might be taken.
Source- Reuters
