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The current President of the Republic of Guatemala is César Bernardo Arévalo de León. He was born on October 7, 1958 in Montevideo, Uruguay, son of former President Juan José Arévalo Bermejo and his second wife, Margarita de León. His birth occurred in the midst of his father's long political exile in South America following the 1954 coup d'état that overthrew President Jacobo Árbenz and marked the end of the 1944 revolution. He left Uruguay when he was less than two years old, and spent part of his childhood living between Venezuela, Mexico and Chile, finally beginning to live in Guatemala when he was fifteen years old and studied at the Liceo Guatemala.4 He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, at which university he also studied the History of Christianity. He later obtained a doctorate in philosophy and social anthropology from the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands. Diplomatic career He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the 1980s as a career diplomat. He was appointed as an official at the Guatemalan embassy in Israel. He was first secretary and consul of the embassy from 1984 to 1986, then minister counselor from 1987 to 1988. He returned to Guatemala after completing his diplomatic mission in Israel. He was appointed Deputy Director of Strategic Studies and Planning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1989. He then served as Director of Bilateral Foreign Policy from 1990 to 1991, Director General of International Bilateral Relations from 1992 to 1993, and Director General of International Economic and Multilateral Relations from 1993 to 1994. He was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs by President Ramiro de León Carpio, serving in that position from 1994 to 1995. During his term as Deputy Minister, Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo awarded him the Order of the Aztec Eagle in 1995. In 1995, his term as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs concluded, as Foreign Minister Alejandro Maldonado Aguirre appointed him as Guatemala's ambassador to Spain. That same year, he presented his credentials to King Juan Carlos I. In 1996, he resigned from his post as ambassador and left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He participated in the 2015 demonstrations demanding the resignation of then-President Otto Pérez Molina. Shortly after, Arévalo and a group of intellectuals formed an analysis group called "Semilla". This group gave rise to the political party Movimiento Semilla, which is why he is one of the founders of said party. For the 2019 general elections, he was Semilla's presidential candidate, but declined his candidacy. He was succeeded by the former Attorney General and head of the Public Prosecutor's Office Thelma Aldana, who was ultimately unable to participate due to legal problems that prevented her from registering as a presidential candidate. Arévalo ran as a candidate for deputy on the National List, and was elected. He took office on January 14, 2020. As a congressman, he has served on several high-level parliamentary committees, including Foreign Relations, Government, Human Rights, National Security Affairs, and National Defense. He was also head of the Semilla parliamentary bloc from 2020 to 2022. Corruption has weakened democracy and the judicial system, accelerating Guatemala's democratic backsliding during 2023. To prevent accountability, Guatemalan authorities have undermined institutional controls against abuse of power. Independent journalists, prosecutors, and judges who had investigated and revealed corruption, human rights violations, and abuse of power faced increased harassment and criminal prosecution. On August 20, anti-corruption candidate Bernardo Arévalo won the election, despite various efforts by authorities to create unequal electoral conditions. Attorney General Consuelo Porras led efforts to overturn the election results, including by opening politically motivated criminal cases. The lack of judicial independence and difficulties in protecting the rights of migrants; women and girls; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people remain issues of great concern. Elections and voting rights In 2023, Guatemala elected a new president, 160 legislators, and more than 300 mayors, against a backdrop of deteriorating human rights guarantees. Institutions charged with monitoring the elections had little independence or credibility. Between February and May, three presidential candidates—left-wing indigenous leader Thelma Cabrera, and right-wing candidates Roberto Arzú and Carlos Pineda, who appeared to be leading in some polls—were excluded from the electoral race on dubious grounds. The Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an apparently arbitrary criminal investigation against presidential candidate Edmond Mulet for criticizing a judge’s decision to investigate nine journalists. Following the first round of presidential elections on June 25, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) announced that Sandra Torres of the Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza (UNE) and Arévalo of the progressive Movimiento Semilla would compete in the second round on August 20. On June 30, some losing political parties filed a lawsuit, alleging fraud. Electoral observers from the European Union (EU) and the Organization of American States (OAS) reported no evidence of fraud. However, the Constitutional Court temporarily suspended the announcement of the election results and ordered a new process to challenge the alleged irregularities in the vote. Finding no irregularities, the Supreme Court approved the announcement of the results on July 10. On July 12, a judge granted the request by the Public Prosecutor's Office to suspend Semilla's legal status for alleged crimes related to the collection of signatures for its registration. The next day, the Constitutional Court overturned the decision, allowing the electoral process to continue. Arévalo won the second round on 20 August with almost 60% of the vote. Although EU and OAS electoral observation missions found no evidence of serious irregularities, the UNE challenged the results, including by filing a criminal complaint based on unfounded allegations of fraud. The Public Prosecutor's Office raided the headquarters of Semilla and the TSE, seized electoral material and asked a court to investigate the TSE magistrates. On 28 August, the TSE Registry of Citizens suspended Semilla's legal status as a result of the Public Prosecutor's Office investigation. The decision was confirmed on 2 November, after the electoral process had officially closed on 31 October. In October, Guatemalans took to the streets to protest against attempts to annul the election results. The protests, led by indigenous groups, demanded the resignation of the Attorney General, Consuelo Porras. The Attorney General and the Constitutional Court urged the government to use force to respond to roadblocks. At the time of writing, security forces had used force in very few situations. In some cases, some civilians attacked protesters, including by shooting. One protester was killed in mid-October. On November 16, 2023, the Public Prosecutor’s Office requested 27 arrest warrants against activists, students, academics, human rights defenders, and a member of the Semilla Movement. It accused them of promoting or participating in largely peaceful protests in 2022 at San Carlos University, the country’s largest public university. The Public Prosecutor’s Office also asked the Supreme Court to lift the immunity of Arévalo and Vice President-elect Karin Herrera so they can be investigated for allegedly promoting the student protest. In December, the Public Prosecutor’s Office asked the TSE to “annul” the election results, alleging alleged irregularities. In the same month, in a case brought by a group of local lawyers, the Constitutional Court ordered Congress and other authorities to ensure that all elected officials take office on January 14 and 15, as required by the Guatemalan Constitution. However, the Court indicated that its decision was made “without prejudice” to the powers of the Public Prosecutor’s Office to investigate and prosecute alleged crimes related to the elections Indigenous people in Guatemala complete three months of protests against the attorney general Guatemala City, Jan 2 (EFE).- Dozens of indigenous people in Guatemala completed three months of uninterrupted protests in front of the central headquarters of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (Fiscalía) on Tuesday to demand the resignation of the attorney general, Consuelo Porras Argueta. "We are tired of the corrupt and that is why we have remained in this place for almost 100 days," declared an indigenous mayor of the department (province) of Sololá, this morning in front of the headquarters of the Prosecutor's Office. The sit-in, organized by indigenous authorities from various departments of the country, has as its main objective to demand the resignation of Porras Argueta, for his repeated attempts to annul the presidential victory of Bernardo Arévalo de León in 2023. According to the leaders of the demonstration, the sit-in will continue at least until January 14, when Arévalo de León is sworn in as the nation's leader for the period 2024-2028. "This resistance is a demand for true justice and we hope that the new authorities take action to address our demands," Rosario Jolón, an indigenous leader from the municipality of San Juan Sacatepéquez, located in the west of the country, told EFE. Jolón explained that this resistance protest has managed to last for 92 days thanks to the resources of the indigenous peoples themselves and food donations from the general population. Since October 2023, the indigenous peoples of Guatemala have staged various protests throughout the country against the actions of the Prosecutor's Office, which included the seizure of the results of the elections held on June 25 and the second round on August 20. For his part, the president-elect said on September 1 that Porras Argueta is carrying out "a coup d'état" against him to prevent him from taking office on January 14. Arévalo de León, one of the founders of the Semilla Party, won the elections with an anti-corruption speech, in a country where dozens of local and foreign organizations have warned that the State has been "co-opted" for several years by a group of politicians, officials and former officials, military personnel, deputies, judges and members of the business elite. ACCORDING TO IA Bernardo Arévalo assumed the presidency of Guatemala on January 15, 2024, after winning the election in a politically complex context. Despite his victory at the polls, his mandate has been marked by political, judicial, and social challenges. 1. Political Context and Rise to Power Arévalo belongs to the Movimiento Semilla, a progressive party advocating for transparency, anti-corruption measures, and human rights. His victory came as a surprise, as he was not initially favored in the polls, and he positioned himself as an alternative to the country's traditional political elite. Since taking office, the president has faced strong opposition, particularly from the Attorney General, Consuelo Porras, and other judicial figures accused of being part of a corruption network. Porras has been criticized for allegedly blocking investigations into political figures and companies linked to the outgoing government. 2. Measures Taken by the President Since taking office, Arévalo has implemented several significant measures: Anti-Corruption Efforts: The president has pushed for the creation of the Special Unit Against Extortion (GECE), which aims to combat organized crime and extortion, both prevalent in the country. This unit has focused on collaborating with the National Civil Police (PNC) to address growing urban violence. Salary Reduction: In a symbolic gesture, the president implemented a 25% salary reduction for himself and the vice president, which was positively received by the public as a sign of his commitment to austerity. Minimum Wage Increase: Arévalo also proposed an increase in the minimum wage in December 2024, fulfilling an electoral promise to improve the economic conditions of Guatemalans. This increase was welcomed by labor organizations, although business sectors expressed their discontent. Judicial Reforms: A central part of his agenda is reforming the judicial system to combat impunity. However, he has faced difficulties in implementing substantial changes due to strong resistance from conservative judicial sectors. 3. Challenges and Conflicts The Attorney General and the Public Ministry: Arévalo’s administration has been marked by confrontations with Consuelo Porras, who has been criticized by international organizations like the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the Organization of American States (OAS) for her bias in persecuting opponents and blocking investigations. Porras has been accused of protecting political figures linked to the ruling party, which has complicated efforts to implement deep reforms in the judicial system. Threats of Impeachment: In August 2024, the Public Ministry made another attempt to lift the president’s immunity, accusing Arévalo of ordering irregular payments to companies linked to public works. Many political analysts consider these accusations to be part of a political persecution to discredit his government. The Judicial System as an Obstacle: Arévalo's administration has also faced obstacles within the country's institutions. Various sectors believe that the judicial system is politicized and favors the interests of traditional political and economic powers. This has led to a crisis of trust in state institutions, weakening the anti-corruption measures promoted by the president. 4. Impact on Society and Human Rights Despite advances in terms of security and justice, insecurity and violence remain major concerns in the country. The rates of violence and crime in urban areas, such as Guatemala City and its surroundings, remain high, and extortion and drug trafficking continue to be issues affecting many sectors of society. The international community has expressed concern about the human rights situation, particularly regarding the rights of Indigenous peoples and rural communities. In this context, Arévalo has reaffirmed his commitment to social justice, inclusion, and historical reparations for the most vulnerable communities. 5. International Relations and External Support Arévalo’s government has sought to strengthen Guatemala's diplomacy through closer ties with international organizations like the United Nations (UN), the OAS, and various NGOs promoting human rights. However, internal tensions, particularly around the figure of the Attorney General, have affected Guatemala's international image. In terms of trade and economy, Arévalo has expressed his intention to diversify Guatemala’s trade partners and strengthen ties with other Latin American countries such as Mexico and El Salvador, as well as enhancing relations with the United States on matters of security and economic development. 6. Future Prospects The future of Arévalo's administration remains uncertain, as it faces both internal and external challenges. The relationship with the political opposition, especially the struggle for control of the judicial system, will be key in determining whether the reforms and programs proposed by the president can be implemented. If tensions with the Attorney General and other judicial figures persist, they could lead to a political crisis that jeopardizes the stability of the government. In conclusion, Arévalo has begun his mandate with a promise of change, focusing on anti-corruption efforts and improving the living conditions of Guatemalans. However, the power structures and resistance from state sectors have made it difficult to implement his policies, placing his government in a critical phase of consolidation.
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