On Thursday, a Guatemalan prosecutor took steps to remove President-elect Bernardo Arevalo’s immunity from prosecution, which critics say is part of a wider political crisis aimed at overturning the election results.
Prosecutor Angel Sanchez, who works under Attorney General Consuelo Porras, has accused Arevalo and his running mate of being involved in the takeover of the capital’s San Carlos University last year, alleging them of damaging cultural assets, illicit association, and influence trafficking.
Porras, who has been accused of corruption by the U.S. government, has been pursuing a criminal investigation against Arevalo and his center-left Seed Movement party since before he won the run-off election in August.
The move to strip Arevalo and Vice President-elect Karin Herrera’s immunity could potentially lead to arrest warrants and disrupt their scheduled inauguration in January, although judges and lawmakers still need to weigh in.
Later on Thursday, Arevalo dismissed the prosecutor’s action as “absolutely illegal” and an affront to democracy, stating that the efforts will not prevent him from taking office.
The prosecutor’s actions also included issuing arrest warrants for 27 others, as well as conducting fresh police raids in search of evidence, and were condemned by a senior U.S. diplomat.
Brian Nichols, U.S. assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, wrote on a messaging platform that the efforts to undermine democracy in Guatemala are unacceptable and warned that those seeking to block Arevalo “will face consequences.”
Since Arevalo’s victory in August, there have been mass street protests across the country demanding Porras’ resignation
(Reporting by Sofia Menchu; Writing by David Alire Garcia; Editing by Chris Reese)
