Guatemala swore in reformist Bernardo Arévalo as president on Monday, despite a last-minute attempt by Congress to delay the inauguration.
In his first speech after being sworn in, Arevalo said: “I am deeply honored to take on this noble responsibility, knowing that our democracy has the strength we need to resist and that through unity and trust, “It shows that we can change the political landscape of Guatemala.” The president was sworn in just minutes after midnight, or about nine hours after his scheduled inauguration time.
“Our democracy has the power to resist and through unity and trust we can change the political landscape in Guatemala,” he added, according to Reuters.
Arevalo won the August election by a wide margin, despite legal efforts by Guatemalan Attorney General Consuelo Porras, an ally of Giammattei, to have him tried or imprisoned before he took office. He replaced conservative politician Alejandro Giammattei as president. According to Reuters, these efforts include attempts to strip Mr. Arevalo and his vice president, Karin Herrera, of their legal immunity, as well as attempts to suspend Mr. Arevalo's Semilla party and invalidate the election. It is said to have included attempts.
Mr. Arevalo promised reforms to combat rising costs of living and violence, which are the main drivers of immigration to the United States. In his inaugural address, Arevalo called for migrants crossing Guatemalan territory to be treated with “dignity, respect and compassion, just as we demand that Guatemalan migrants be treated abroad.”
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Guatemalan President-elect Bernardo Arevalo will take the oath of office early Monday morning, January 15, 2024, during a swearing-in ceremony in Guatemala City. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
The inauguration was postponed after the Supreme Court of Central America's most populous country ruled that opposition lawmakers should retain leadership of parliament. According to Reuters, the move is expected to dilute the profile of the Semira party, which only holds 23 out of 160 seats, by forcing them to run as independent candidates.
On Sunday, the inauguration process dragged on for hours, even as hundreds of Mr. Arevalo's supporters clashed with riot police outside Congress and threatened to storm the building, with Mr. Arevalo taking the oath of office just after midnight. Ta. Supporters had been waiting for hours for a celebratory inaugural celebration in Guatemala City's iconic Plaza de la Constitution, but, fed up with further delays, they violently removed police before telling lawmakers to stop delaying and attend the ceremony. He asked for the names of the delegations that must be present.
Congress was scheduled to attend the inauguration in a special session, but bitter infighting ensued over who should be recognized as part of the congressional delegation, with lawmakers yelling at each other. The leadership committee tasked with that task was filled with veteran opponents of Mr. Arevalo, and the postponement of the inauguration was seen as a tactic to weaken Mr. Arevalo by delaying the ceremony. However, Arévalo's authority was strengthened by the unexpected election of prominent Semilla lawmaker Samuel Pérez Álvarez as president of the parliament.
Giammattei was widely criticized for eroding the country's democratic institutions and ultimately did not attend the inauguration.
People watch the inauguration of Guatemalan President-elect Bernardo Arevalo on a screen outside the National Palace in Guatemala City early Monday morning, January 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)
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Arevalo thanked Guatemala's youth and indigenous people for their support for not giving up hope, and acknowledged the “historic debt that must be resolved.” He summed up his administration's guiding principles: “Without social justice, there can be no democracy, and without democracy, social justice cannot prevail.”
People wait for the postponed swearing-in ceremony of Guatemala's next president, Bernardo Arevalo, at the Miguel Ángel Asturias Cultural Center in Guatemala City, Sunday, January 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
Last year, thousands of Guatemalan indigenous people took to the streets to protest, demanding that Mr. Porras and prosecutors respect the Aug. 20 vote. Many have called for her resignation, but her term does not end until 2026, and it is unclear whether Arevalo will be able to fire her.
Prosecutors have revoked Arevalo's immunity three times, seeking to suspend his Seed Movement party and potentially prevent members of the party from holding leadership positions in Congress. On Friday, Herrera announced that the Constitutional Court had granted an injunction blocking the arrest order. She also took her oath early Monday.
Prosecutors say the Seed movement committed fraud in gathering signatures to register as a party years ago, that its leaders encouraged a month-long occupation of a public university, and that the election was rigged. It is claimed that there was. International observers denied this, according to the Associated Press. One key was that Arevalo received strong early support from the international community. The European Union, the Organization of American States, and the US government have repeatedly called for the popular vote to be respected.
Police attempt to stop supporters of Bernardo Arevalo from protesting the delay in the opening of Congress to administer the oath of new members in front of the Congress in Guatemala City, Sunday, January 14, 2024. There is. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)
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The U.S. government went further, imposing sanctions on Guatemalan officials and civilians suspected of undermining the country's democracy.
On Thursday, Brian A. Nichols, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, said attacks on Arevalo are unlikely to stop with his appointment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
