Guatemala experienced its first day of an indefinite national strike called by indigenous leaders and which seeks to end with the resignation of three public officials who have been accused of wanting to alter the results of the presidential elections, in which the social democrat won last month of August. The United States has asked that the election results be respected and that a change of command be guaranteed next year.
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In Guatemala they declared an indefinite national strike due to the serious political situation that the country is going through, specifically demanding the resignation of Attorney General Consuelo Porras, Prosecutor Rafael Curruchinche and Judge Fredy Orellana.
The protests are made up mainly of members of indigenous communities and were called since last week by the group “48 Cantones de Totonicapán”, in the west of the country.
“We declare ourselves on an indefinite national strike, calling on all citizens and organizations in the country to join the protest,” said a statement from the “48 cantons of Totonicapán.”
During the first day of the strike at least 17 roads were blocked by protesters, including the busy northern entrance to Guatemala City.
There was also a sit-in of at least 200 indigenous leaders in the vicinity of the Prosecutor’s Office headquarters.
The protests begin just three days after the Prosecutor’s Office raided the Supreme Electoral Court for the fourth time and confiscated several boxes with the votes from the elections in which Bernardo Arévalo won as president of the country.
The elected president has repeatedly said that there is persecution against him, in addition to denouncing that an attempt is being made to carry out a coup d’état orchestrated by Porras, Curruchinche and Orellana.
The United States showed its support for Arévalo
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Bernardo Arévalo held a virtual meeting on October 1 in which the United States reiterated its support for the candidate chosen by Guatemalans on August 20.
“We exchanged and reiterated our commitment to ensure that democracy prevails and respect for the vote of Guatemalans is guaranteed, as well as mutual collaboration in creating development opportunities for the country,” said the president-elect.
Initially the meeting had been scheduled in person in Washington but Arévalo had to cancel after the Prosecutor’s Office seized the minutes with the results of the elections.
“The secretary expressed to President-elect Arévalo de León his support for a peaceful transition of power in Guatemala,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
The head of US diplomacy expressed his solidarity with the “Guatemalan people” and asked that the democratic transfer of power, which Arévalo should receive on January 14, be respected.
A day earlier, the United States added Attorney General Consuelo Porras to the list of corrupt and undemocratic actors, after accusing her of wanting to “undermine justice” in her own country.
Arévalo canceled the transition of power
The also leader of the Semilla Movement, with which he won the elections, announced the temporary suspension of transition talks with the current Government of Alejandro Giamattei, ensuring that he would not resume them until the “necessary political conditions” exist.
Since the results of the first round were known, in which Arévalo’s name was surprising, the Prosecutor’s Office has sought to suspend the Semilla Movement.
Meanwhile, the national strike is expected to continue, with the rejection of the situation by leaders such as the Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, among others.
With EFE and local media
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