Guatemala’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal has firmly declared the results of this year’s presidential race as unchangeable, following public prosecutor statements that questioned whether the vote should be annulled, prompting accusations of a coup attempt. The Organisation of American States (OAS) strongly condemned the prosecutors’ remarks as a violation of human rights and an attempt to undermine the democratic process.
The prosecutors had alleged that President-elect Bernardo Arevalo’s election victory may have been illegitimate as they accused him of improprieties in his campaign and handling of political funds. They even suggested the possibility of annulling the presidential election results.
The press conference led by prosecutors Rafael Curruchiche, Leonor Morales, and Angel Pineda Avila, caused immediate backlash and sparked accusations of undemocratic actions against them. The head of the Supreme Election Tribunal, Blanca Alfaro, quickly refuted the possibility of a new election and affirmed the validity of the election results.
Guatemala has had a history of official corruption, with recent efforts to suspend the Seed Movement party and ongoing investigations against Arevalo contributing to concerns about election integrity. However, Arevalo managed to secure a landslide victory in the run-off race, prompting protests across the country in support of upholding the election results and criticisms from election observers regarding antidemocratic attempts to overturn his victory.
Arevalo is set to be inaugurated as President on January 14, succeeding outgoing President Alejandro Giammattei.