Guatemala Protests: The Fight for Democracy and Human Rights
Episode Title: #89 Guatemala Protests: The Fight for Democracy and Human Rights
Episode Description:
In this episode, we explore the causes, consequences, and possible outcomes of the ongoing protests in Guatemala, where thousands of people are demanding the resignation of the attorney general, who they accuse of trying to prevent the president-elect from taking office. We also discuss the role and response of different actors, such as Arévalo, Giammattei, the OAS, the US, and other international partners. Tune in to learn more about this important topic and how it affects Guatemala’s democracy and human rights.
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EPISODE INTRODUCTION
Cold Opening: Today we’re going to talk about the ongoing protests in Guatemala, where thousands of people are demanding the resignation of the attorney general, who they accuse of trying to prevent the president-elect from taking office. This is a crucial moment for democracy and human rights in Guatemala, and we will dive into the causes, the consequences, and the possible outcomes of this crisis.
[Cue intro music]
What is going on everyone? I’m Kevin Muñoz today is Monday, October 23rd and this is The LEO podcast where we discuss various educational topics, especially those impacting the Latin American community.
Join us today as we cover three main aspects of the Guatemalan protests: first, the background and context of the political conflict; second, the current situation and challenges faced by the protesters; and third, the implications and prospects for the future of Guatemala.
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[End intro music]
Topic Background,
The root of the current political conflict in Guatemala goes back to August 2023, when the country held its presidential election. The winner was Bernardo Arévalo, son of former Guatemalan president Juan José Arévalo. A member and co-founder of the political party Semilla, and has served as a deputy in the Congress of Guatemala since January 2020. He also previously served as Ambassador to Spain from 1995 to 1996, and as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1994 to 1995. He defeated his rival, Sandra Torres, the former first lady and leader of the ruling party, Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza, by a margin of 58% to 37%. Arévalo’s victory was seen as a historic change and a sign of hope for many Guatemalans who were fed up with corruption, poverty, violence, and impunity.
However, soon after his triumph, Arévalo faced a series of obstacles from the outgoing government and its allies in the judiciary. The attorney general, Consuelo Porras, appointed by former President Jimmy Morales in 2018, initiated several investigations and legal actions against Arévalo’s Semilla party, alleging that it had violated electoral laws and regulations. She also accused Arévalo of money laundering, tax evasion, and illicit enrichment. These accusations were widely seen as politically motivated and aimed at preventing Arévalo from taking office on January 14.
Porras’ actions were not surprising for many Guatemalans who had witnessed her role in undermining previous anti-corruption efforts in the country. In July of 2021, she fired Juan Francisco Sandoval, the head of the Special Prosecutor’s Office Against Impunity, who had led several high-profile cases against former presidents, ministers, judges, and businessmen involved in graft schemes like former president Jimmy Morales and current president Alejandro Giammattei.
Current Situation:
This brings us to the current present-day situation. The protests largely led by Indigenous authorities began on October 2nd calling and demanding Attorney General Porras’s resignation. This was days after prosecutors raided the headquarters of Guatemala’s electoral court and seized election ballot certificates as part of a criminal inquiry into alleged electoral fraud. The probe according to a senior government official relates to the alleged manipulation of the computer system that processed the results of this year’s elections. But election observers said that they found no incidents of fraud or manipulation, and prosecutors haven’t presented detailed evidence. As a result, Arévalo’s party was suspended in August by a judge at the request of Attorney General Porras under a related probe into the forging of signatures to register the party. However, the suspension was quickly overturned by the electoral court.
Demonstrators say they will continue in the streets until Attorney General Porras resigns. The Organization of American States has labeled the judiciary’s efforts as an attack on democracy and will mediate between the government and protesters.
The protesters demanded the resignation of Porras and respect for Arévalo’s victory.
However, the protests haven’t been enough to convince Porras to step down. Instead, she accused the protesters of being manipulated by foreign interests and radical groups that wanted to destabilize the country. She also warned that she would use all the legal means at her disposal to defend her position and prosecute those who violated the law.
The protests then escalated and spread across the country, with roadblocks and demonstrations that have paralyzed transportation and commerce. The result has been over 120 roadblocks in 19 of the 22 departments of Guatemala, cutting access to the country’s main roads, ports, airports, and borders. Without being able to move, Guatemalans can’t go to work and businesses have had no other option than to close their doors. The few establishments that have managed to stay open have been threatened by demonstrators who demand they show solidarity with the movement or else.
According to the Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce, approximately 70 percent of the country’s restaurants have closed during these two weeks, four out of five hotel reservations have been canceled, and more than 7,000 containers remain stuck at the ports.
Some of the protests have even turned violent, as armed groups and security forces have clashed with demonstrators. On October 16th, a group of armed men attacked a group of protesters in the town of Malacatan in western Guatemala, killing one person and injuring at least four others. However, the identity of the assailants was not immediately clear.
As for the Implications:
The protests in Guatemala are not only a challenge for Porras, but also for Guatemala’s democracy and human rights. They reflect a deep crisis of legitimacy and trust in the institutions that have failed to deliver justice, security, development, and participation for the majority of the population. They also reveal a strong demand for change and reform from a diverse and mobilized civil society that has shown its resilience and creativity in the face of adversity.
The outcome of this crisis will depend largely on how the different actors involved react and interact. Arévalo, who has backed the protesters and denounced Porras’ actions as a “coup d’etat”, has called for dialogue and respect for the rule of law. He has also urged his supporters to remain peaceful and avoid provocations. He has said that he is ready to assume his role as president on January 14th, but he has also warned that he will not tolerate any attempts to sabotage his mandate or undermine his legitimacy.
Giammattei, who has been criticized for his handling of the situation and his lack of leadership, has called for dialogue and mediation by the Organization of American States to ensure a peaceful transition of power. He has also said that he will respect the results of the election and cooperate with Arévalo’s government. However, he has also defended Porras’ independence and autonomy and accused some sectors of trying to destabilize his administration.
The Organization of American States, which had sent an electoral observation mission to Guatemala during the election, has expressed its concern about the situation and offered its support for dialogue and mediation. It has also urged all parties to respect the constitutional order and democratic institutions, as well as to guarantee human rights and public order.
The US, which is Guatemala’s main ally and donor, has also expressed its support for Arévalo’s victory and condemned Porras’ actions as an attack on democracy. It has also called for an end to violence and urged all sides to engage in dialogue. It has also announced that it will review its assistance to Guatemala based on its commitment to democracy, human rights, anti-corruption, and the rule of law. And has also imposed visa restrictions on those who it sees as undermining democracy.
CONCLUSION/Key takeaways:
On October 16th Guatemala’s interior minister resigned after the group of 50 people wielding guns, wooden planks, and stones killed a protester while trying to disperse a protest. Many business people are supporting Mr Arévalo, either because they are keen to be close to those in power or for fear of American sanctions if they do otherwise. The courts are divided. While the case against Semilla continues, on October 14th an appeals court quashed the conviction of José Rubén Zamora, a prominent investigative journalist who was sentenced in June to six years on trumped-up charges of money-laundering. (But it also ordered a retrial.)
The continuous challenges are hurting Semilla. Formed by a group of urban academics, the party ran its first round on $20,000. It did not even have money to do internal polling. The party has no experience of holding power. It will hold only 23 of 160 seats in Congress.
Still, Mr Arévalo should be able to make his mark. The most likely scenario is that Arevalo will become president in January and manage to cobble together a governing coalition in spite of the legal attacks against his party. But if that happens on schedule, it will be in part due to the ongoing protests and roadblocks in Guatemala. Citizens are in the streets protecting democracy and making sure the world continues to pay attention to the fact that the country’s ruling elite want to halt the transfer of power. As a result, this moment has the potential to be a success story for citizen activism on the ground and democracy advocates internationally. But it will take keeping up the pressure and attention for Guatemala to become the good news story the world needs right now.
THE END
That’s all for today on the LEO podcast. I’m Kevin Muñoz and as always feel free to send me a voicemail through my website latinamerianeo.org by simply clicking the purple “send voicemail” popup and just start recording your thoughts or any interesting topic that you’d like to see covered. I might just feature it in the next episode!
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