President of Guatemala summons the attorney general who tried to prevent his inauguration

The president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo de León, sent a letter to the attorney general, Consuelo Porras Argueta, to summon her, after the head of the Public Ministry (Prosecutor's Office) tried to prevent her investiture during recent months.

The president, who took office early Monday morning, explained this Tuesday in statements to journalists that “we are sending the attorney general a letter” to summon her.

“We are going to start the process there,” added the 65-year-old ruler.

Porras Argueta and the Prosecutor's Office sought to prevent the investiture of Arévalo de León and his party, the Semilla Movement, for more than six months, specifically since July, just three weeks after the now president advanced to the second round.

The president recalled that “we have a president,” and also said that “the people of Guatemala want to leave this group of criminals behind.”

(Also read: Trump sweeps the Iowa caucuses: what explains his victory and what's next in the primaries?)

Arévalo de León had warned since last September 1 that Porras Argueta was carrying out a “coup d'état” against him along with other corrupt actors.

The president's words took place after a Mayan ceremony in honor of his presidential term, which will end in January 2028.

Guatemalan law establishes that the only reason to fire the attorney general is after being convicted of a crime. That is why Arévalo de León does not have the possibility of ordering his resignation, but he did warn last week that he would ask him to resign.

(You can read: 'Yes they were held by a criminal group: mother of one of the Colombian women in Mexico')

For her part, the prosecutor has made public appearances infrequently in recent years and has not commented on the investiture of the new ruler.

However, according to experts, with the presidency of Congress in the hands of the Semilla Movement and a majority in Parliament, it is possible that they will look for some alternative to remove the attorney general.

Porras Argueta and the leadership of the Public Ministry have been sanctioned in recent years by the United States and also They have been accused by various sectors of preventing criminal investigations against former presidents Alejandro Giammattei (2020-2024) and Jimmy Morales (2016-2020).

The Guatemalan Congress experienced moments of tension on Sunday with the inauguration of Arévalo de León, delayed by a group of parliamentarians from the outgoing Congress who sought to hinder the processes.

It was around noon that, overwhelmed by the situation, several deputies from the Semilla Movement They had to force open a door where parliamentarians related to the Giammattei Government sought to delay the legal procedures of the new magistracy.

(Also: Visa to the United States in 2024: this is the price to get it in Colombia this year)

“Stop!” one of the new deputies, Jonathan Menkos, exclaimed loudly as he entered the room where the Government's like-minded parliamentarians were, after forcing open the door, while the other legislators tried the same at the other end.

“I am a man of peace and calm,” Menkos would later explain, “but injustices, abuse and corruption of public power will always find me willing to raise my voice,” he stressed.

The deputy, widely recognized within the party for his technical knowledge, will ask Congress for leave and will be the Minister of Finance of Arévalo de León.

The new president witnessed the Mayan ceremony this Tuesday a few kilometers from the center of Guatemala City, in an archaeological park.

The ceremony was “presided over by Mayan authorities” as confirmed by the Government, to “bless the new authorities through ancestral knowledge”, in an event where the vice president, Karin Herrera, was also present.

During his speech, the ruler stated that “with great humility, Karin and I, and our Cabinet, came to participate with you in this ceremony.”

EFE