Former Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei Barred From Entering US Just 3 Days After Leaving Office

The political drama happening in Guatemala continues even after new President Bernardo Arevalo was sworn in and embattled former President Alejandro Giammattei left office, as the ex-president has been barred from entering the United States just three days after losing power.

The United States has accused Giammattei of "significant corruption," and that was the reason why the US State Department banned him from entering the country. This comes as the Biden administration continued to slam the Giammattei administration as its prosecutors continued to harass and try to prevent the inauguration of then-President-Elect Bernardo Arevalo.

"The State Department has credible information indicating that Giammattei accepted bribes in exchange for the performance of his public functions during his tenure as president of Guatemala, actions that undermined the rule of law and government transparency," said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

Throughout his presidency, Alejandro Giammattei has been hounded by corruption allegations. However, he was not investigated as the embattled Attorney General Consuelo Porras, who has been sanctioned twice by the US government, did not let any inquiries into the then-president advance any further.

The US government previously warned the Guatemalan government last week, ahead of the Arevalo inauguration, that the United States will "continue identifying and holding accountable those who tried to undermine Guatemala's democracy."

Meanwhile, the former Guatemalan president has maintained that the cases filed by prosecutors against Bernardo Arevalo were "not politically motivated" and that he could not intervene because of the separation of powers. In public, he stated that the transition of power was moving forward despite attempts by his AG to undermine the process.

Guatemala Citizens Express Cautious Optimism With the New Bernardo Arevalo Administration

With a new president that few people saw coming last year, Guatemala is now facing uncertainty after decades of corruption from a string of administrations marred by scandals. The attacks against new President Bernardo Arevalo ahead of his inauguration have also shaken public trust in the government.

However, there is still some cautious optimism on the part of Guatemalans. Luis Mendez Salinas, 37, author and co-owner of the publisher Catafixia from Guatemala City, spoke with Al Jazeera News about how many felt about the new government.

"It's strange to say, but every [legal attack] that has been made from June 25 until today - and probably until January 14 - has filled me with optimism. Because every attempt that has been made by these corrupt political elites and political clients has failed," he said.

Rights Group Credits EU for Helping Protect Democracy in Guatemala

Before Arevalo was hounded by prosecutors from the Guatemala Attorney General's Office with various accusations that led to various investigations that sought to disqualify him and prevent him from taking office, many believed this targeted attempt was to keep the status quo in Guatemala, with corruption rampant.

However, these efforts failed, with Bernardo Arevalo finally taking office earlier this week. However, Human Rights Watch noted that the European Union (EU) should be credited for helping preserve democracy in the country.

"Sustained engagement by the US government, the OAS, and the EU was instrumental in safeguarding the election result," wrote the rights group, adding, "During the election, the EU's observation mission played an important role in debunking false allegations of fraud and in speaking up against attacks on electoral integrity. And the EU's support didn't end when its observers left the country."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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