Guatemala Election Watch #23 →

“Lawfare” attacks by corrupt Guatemalan
government & legal system continue

“Criminalizing” the Semilla Party, members of Semilla Party, judges and lawyers, freedom of expression and peaceful protest


Below, just some of the recent “lawfare” attacks by the Guatemala regime – pulling all the stops to prevent the Semilla Party and President-elect Arevalo and VP-elected Herrera from taking power on January 14, 2024.

Since 1954 the US-led “international community” – including notably the governments of Canada and the EU, and countless transnational corporations – have maintained political, economic and military relations with 69 years of these corrupt, anti-democratic Guatemala regimes, referring to them pretty much the entire time as “democratic allies”.

Pressure must be kept on the US, Canada and EU to do in Guatemala what these countries say they do, and have never done - support and defend democracy and the rule of law.

Grahame Russell
info@rightsaction.org

Attacking Semilla Party

Festivales Solidarios, @festivalesgt
Aug. 24, 2023

The MP (Public Prosecutor’s Office) has requested suspension of the legal status of the Semilla Party, which would, in turn, prevent elected Semilla members of congress from taking office on January 14, 2024. 
https://twitter.com/festivalesgt/status/1694729446597488729

Prensa Libre, @prensa_libre
The MP (Public Prosecutor's Office) has requested the lifting of legal immunity Semilla Party members who were elected to public office in past voting.


Attacking electoral system

Festivales Solidarios, @festivalesgt
Aug. 22, 2023
https://twitter.com/festivalesgt/status/1694075483896402296
The MP (Public Prosecutor's Office) against Electoral Crimes requested lifting the legal immunity of Ramiro Munoz, director of Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) Citizens' Registry, so as to possibly criminalize him for breach of duty and abuse of authority. 

Factor 4, @Factor4_GT
Aug. 22, 2023
The MP (Public Prosecutor’s Office) has requested the names of the TSE data entry coordinators and of the local TSE election boards that received the votes, as well as the places where the voting centers were located. A threat to bring more trumped up criminal charges against individuals.
https://twitter.com/Factor4_GT/status/1694050138950427058


Freeing the guilty – Corrupt President Otto Perez Molina

Ricigt, @Ricigt1
Aug. 22, 2023
The decision of the High Risk Court 'B' to grant conditional release to Otto Pérez Molina (alleged war criminal and former President) in the organized crime case of Cooptación Del Estado (cooptation of the State) is a blow to the fight against corruption in the country.
https://twitter.com/Ricigt1/status/1694043048341127607

Ricigt, @Ricigt1
Aug. 22, 2023
Judge Eva Recinos seems to have forgotten that justice should not be for sale. Granting bail of Q300 thousand to Otto Pérez Molina (alleged war criminal and former President), convicted in organized crime ‘La Linea’ case is an insult to the integrity of our judicial system. Impunity does have a price. 
https://twitter.com/Ricigt1/status/1694048390714200330

“Consuelo Porras is Attorney General of Corruption, Impunity and Death!”

Jailing the innocent - Lawyer Claudia Gonzalez

Festivales Solidarios, @festivalesgt
Aug.28, 2023
With her head held high, supported by family and friends and with the cry "You are innocent”, criminalized lawyer Claudia Gonzales was arrested today by Guatemala’s ‘the judicial dictatorship’, accused of abuse of authority. We repudiate the arrest and demand her immediate release.
https://twitter.com/festivalesgt/status/1696205399274525047

Prensa Comunitaria Km169, @PrensaComunitar
Aug.28, 2023
Lawyer Claudia González criticized Judge Jimmi Bremer for accepted the non-appearance of the prosecuting MP's office at her detention. "Why don't they do the investigation first and then arrest me? If they requested an arrest warrant, the MP should be here," she said.
https://twitter.com/PrensaComunitar/status/1696245471172325866


Attacking family of exiled prosecutor Juan Francisco Sandoval

Prensa Comunitaria Km169, @PrensaComunitar
Aug.28, 2023
"The MP stopped prosecuting corruption, to start facilitating it", said Juan Francisco Sandoval, the former –now exiled- head of the MP’s special prosecutor’s office. @JSandoval1982 was speaking out about the raid on his parents' home. More than two years after his exile, the persecution continues.
https://twitter.com/PrensaComunitar/status/1696264694414098903


Curtailing freedom of expression

Festivales Solidarios, @festivalesgt
Aug. 25, 2023
Attorney General Consuelo Porras of the MP has asked the Constitutional Court of Guatemala to censor social media criticism and dissent from journalists and activists. We reject this trampling of freedom of the press and expression!
https://twitter.com/festivalesgt/status/1695187085026607567

Four and one-half months until January 14, 2024 transfer of power!

TRUTHOUT article

Guatemalans Voted to End 69 Years of Corrupt Rule. Will US, Canada Accept It?
By Grahame Russell, Rights Action, August 21, 2023, Guatemala City
https://truthout.org/articles/guatemalans-voted-to-end-69-years-of-corrupt-rule-will-us-canada-accept-it/


More information