Staff Reports
In a surprising move, Guatemala's electoral authority blocked the suspension of the Seed Movement, which was founded by President-elect Bernardo Avalo. This move restored the organization's legal status and prevented political forces from undermining him. The Attorney General's Office is also investigating the gathering of the required signatures for the organization.
In justifying its decision to suspend the Patriotic Party, the Electoral Tribunal of Guatemala noted that the suspension was not authorized by the electoral body. As per the country's electoral law, it is not allowed to suspend a party during the electoral period. The tribunal's ruling will stay in effect until October 31, which is the end of the campaign. The possibility of the suspension being carried out again on November 1 is still alive.
This occurred after the congress' leadership suspended the Seed Movement and removed Arévalo and other members of the group from their positions. Since Arévalo surprised everyone by securing a spot in the runoff, his supporters have been attacked.
Even though the electoral tribunal validated Arévalo's victory and declared Alejandro Giamattei as the outgoing president, the AG's Office carried out multiple investigations on the Seed Movement. Some observers noted that these actions were aimed at preventing the Seed Movement's founder from assuming office.
This incident is especially worrying since Guatemala's democracy has been declining over the past couple of years due to the actions of Giammattei and the removal of the UN-supported anti-corruption mission.
The rise of Arévalo's popularity is a remarkable achievement, as early polls showed his conservative party with only 3% support. However, after addressing the country's concerns about corruption, his message of reform and fighting against it won the support of the voters. As he prepares to take office, he realizes that he will face challenges from powerful political forces and economic groups.
Arévalo warned that the political mafias could carry out a coup d'état. Guatemalans are waiting for the Seed Movement to deliver on its promise of bringing about a change in the country.
