Bernardo Arevalo, who won the popular vote, urged MPs to respect the result of the election
Supporters of Guatemalan president-elect Bernardo Arevalo clash with police in Guatemala City, on January 14, 2024. © AP Photo / Santiago Billy
The supporters of president-elect Bernardo Arevalo clashed in Guatemala City with police on Sunday after his inauguration was unexpectedly delayed.
Arevalo, a member of the leftist Semilla party who ran on an anti-corruption platform, received more than 60% of the run-off vote in August 2023.
His swearing-in ceremony was due to begin at 3 pm local time on Sunday. The procedure was abruptly suspended by Congress – the nation’s parliament – which is controlled by right-wing parties.
People angered by the delaying of the inauguration broke through police barriers and threatened to storm the parliament building. Police responded by firing volleys of tear gas.
“The MPs have the responsibility to respect the will of the people expressed at the polls,” Arevalo wrote on X (formerly Twitter), accusing his rivals of “attempting to undermine democracy with illegalities and abuses of power.”
The conflict arose because the congressional credentials commission took longer than expected to review the papers of the newly-elected MPs from Arevalo’s party. This, in turn, prevented the forming of the Board of Directors responsible for the swearing-in of the new president.
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