Guatemala Metropolis, Guatemala – It has been lower than two weeks since progressive, anti-corruption candidate Bernardo Arevalo received Guatemala’s presidential election, capping a months-long marketing campaign marred by scandals.
However Arevalo’s victory in an August 20 run-off has not put an finish to the political turmoil, as electoral officers earlier this week suspended the president-elect’s Seed Motion get together simply hours after his victory was licensed.
The Citizen Registry, a physique inside the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, introduced on Monday that it had briefly suspended the get together following an order from a decrease courtroom choose.
Legal professionals from the Seed Motion get together challenged the choice a day later, setting the stage for doable appeals earlier than Guatemala’s Supreme and Constitutional courts – the previous is the very best courtroom within the Central American nation.
Following the election’s certification and amid concerted worldwide strain for the outcomes to be revered, outgoing Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei stated his administration would start the transition of energy starting on September 4.
Nonetheless, the Seed Motion’s suspension is the most recent in a collection of challenges for the centre-left get together, in addition to Arevalo, who shall be sworn in early subsequent 12 months and will face severe difficulties governing ought to the suspension be upheld.
Whereas presidential candidate Sandra Torres of the conservative Nationwide Unity of Hope (UNE) get together has remained silent following her defeat, her get together has continued to make unsubstantiated accusations of irregularities within the vote rely.
Worldwide and native observers have unanimously held up the integrity of the election.
Right here, Al Jazeera speaks to Guatemalan political analysts and constitutional legislation specialists in regards to the newest political developments within the nation – and what comes subsequent.
Edgar Ortiz, constitutional lawyer and analyst at Liberty and Improvement Basis, centre-right suppose tank
“It is vitally apparent that this resolution [to suspend the Seed Movement] was not authorized.
“It’s a freezing of sure rights of a political get together.
“There’s one other authorized [mechanism], which is the cancellation. With cancellation, legally talking, [a party] dies, it disappears. However with a suspension of the get together, it nonetheless exists.
“This resolution will not be definitive. [The Seed Movement] has already filed an enchantment, and the [Supreme Electoral Tribunal] will maintain a listening to. My intestine tells me that the electoral tribunal will favour [the party].
“That is one other instance of how the general public prosecutor’s workplace is weaponising prison legislation to attempt to stop [the Seed Movement] from taking workplace.”
Oswaldo Samayoa, constitutional legislation knowledgeable and professor at San Carlos College of Guatemala
“There’s a breaking of the constitutional order.
“On one aspect, it’s the destruction of the train of free political participation of residents by the political events. And on the opposite, it’s the institution of censorship mechanisms for political participation in opposition to these with ideologies or positions totally different from these [of] the elites.
“[The suspension] removes the potential of the Seed Motion get together from being a legislative bloc inside Congress.
“If the suspension manages to be sustained over time to make method for the cancellation, [Seed Movement] would have 23 deputies with no legislative bloc who can’t be a part of legislative committees and that can not be a part of the Board of Administrators [of Congress] subsequent 12 months.
“[It takes] energy away from Bernardo Arevalo inside Congress.”
Gabriela Carrera, political science professor at Rafael Landivar College in Guatemala Metropolis
“Crucial drawback will not be for the Seed Motion get together, however for Guatemala’s democracy.
“They’re uprooting a political undertaking. It’s a coup de grace to participation, to illustration, and to the development of collective proposals. It doesn’t solely need to do with simply Arevalo.
“The query is how are residents going to reply.
“[Arevalo] would by no means have gotten to the place he’s with out the voters. They’re the themes of democracy, the voters, the citizenry.”
Luis Fernando Mack, sociologist and political science professor at San Carlos College of Guatemala
“[The suspension] is an indication that the actors in energy can use all authorized and institutional mechanisms of their favour to hinder the brand new authorities and play laborious. It’s like an entry warning.
“The choice will probably be revoked by the Citizen Registry, however you can not know what they’ll do. However it appears that evidently the courtroom goes to reject the [suspension].
“They’re producing emotions of worry and uncertainty in [people’s] minds.”
