Following the election result that left President Bernardo Arevalo, the political transition has become complicated, leaving a tense situation that generated an institutional coup d'état in Guatemala, as stated by the president-elect himself.
At the moment, there is not a coup d'état as aggressive as has been seen on other occasions, however, the country is going through a difficult situation, as political scientist Mynor Alonso said in a chat with Manuel Ortiz during the radio program Península 360 Press in collaboration with Marcos Gutiérrez from «Hecho en California».
Mynor Alonso, who is part of the mission of observation and documentation of the elections in Guatemala by Global Exchange, an organization based in San Francisco and of which he is also a member Peninsula 360 Press and other organizations, said that there is an attempted coup d'état by a group of people who are in control of some institutions, few, but they are key in this transition process.
He said that there is currently an abuse of the Guatemalan justice system, and they are trying to prevent the Semilla Movement, the party to which Arévalo belongs, from assuming power on January 14.
"It is not a coup d'état as we are used to in Latin America with many soldiers or imposition with violence, what is really happening is more of a psychological war, something more social and there is also the discreet but constant abuse of legal resources," said Mynor.
A few days ago, a court pressured the civil registry to rule that the formation of the Semilla Movement was illegal and to temporarily suspend its legal status, under an alleged investigation into false signatures; however, this fraud has not yet been proven.
In any case, this is illegal, because in cases like these the person responsible is accused and not the entire political party, in this way the intentions against the Semilla Movement party can be seen very clearly, he stressed.
He also said that what they are looking for is to use legal resources against the Semilla Movement and in this way not leave any candidate from this party any chance of being elected.
What is expected, he stressed, is that the legal system will react to these provocations in the correct manner, that the necessary investigations will be carried out and that the truth will come to light, so that, if nothing is proven, the transition of powers will be carried out in the best possible way, as the law dictates.
Otherwise, if the Semilla Movement were to be cancelled, which would be a step backwards in the Guatemalan legal system, the deputies in Congress would have to remain alone, as independents, but they would be deprived of certain essential rights.
The transition is looking more complicated for Guatemala every day, but it is hoped that justice will determine the next steps and that we will be able to reach January without further damage to the citizens.
You may be interested in: Bernardo Arévalo: "This victory belongs to the people of Guatemala"
