Guatemala: President-Elect Bernardo Arevalo's Seed Movement Political Party Suspension Lifted

After battling several "unfounded" investigations, Guatemala President-elect Bernardo Arevalo's Seed Movement is not suspended anymore. However, his opponents may be plotting other ways to stop him from taking power.

The Seed Movement, a center-left anti-corruption political party, was suspended from being a recognized political party following several "dubious" complaints against it. However, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal lifted the suspension just days after the country's electoral registry suspended the party on a judge's order.

According to the Associated Press, the tribunal decided to lift the decision because the suspension did not come from an electoral body; therefore, it could not stand. The lifting is only temporary, though, as it will only be applicable until the end of the campaign period, October 31. The electoral laws in Guatemala prohibit any political party from being suspended during the campaign period.

The suspension of the Seed Movement party, also known as Semilla, was reportedly a move by the country's political elite to find ways to stop Bernardo Arevalo from becoming the next president of Guatemala. He won the August run-off election via a landslide.

Before the suspension was lifted, the party tried to appeal its suspension through the normal court system but has so far not yielded any results.

Judge and Prosecutor Who Suspended Seed Movement Are on a US Corruption Watchlist

The Seed Movement was suspended after the first round of voting last June. It was requested by Guatemalan prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche, and this led Guatemalan judge Fredy Orellana to order the electoral tribunal to suspend the party pending an investigation as opponents sought to stop Arevalo from running against establishment candidate Sandra Torres.

However, France 24 reported that both Judge Orellana and prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche are listed by the US government as "corrupt actors." Independent observers from other countries, including the EU, the OAS, and the United States government, have all slammed the suspension as election meddling.

Their decision bore some consequences against the Seed Movement, AKA Semilla, as the Guatemalan Congress refused to recognize the party and treated its members within Congress as independents, including President-elect Bernardo Arevalo himself, who is currently a member of the assembly.

As for the ban being lifted, Seed Movement members are welcoming it with open arms, with Nino Matute, a Semilla lawmaker, stating that democracy in Guatemala "is fighting its best battle, with the support of honest and decent people in this country."

Guatemala President-Elect Bernardo Arevalo Says There Is an 'Ongoing Coup' To Keep Him From Power

With the suspension lifted, President-elect Bernardo Arevalo's opponents may be switching tactics soon, as he believes there is an "ongoing coup" against him.

According to CNN, Arevalo stated during a press conference that several groups headed by Guatemala's current Attorney General "were trying to break the constitutional order and violate democracy."

He then called the Guatemala AG by name, stating, "These actions constitute a coup that is promoted by the institutions that should guarantee justice in our country, headed by Attorney General Consuelo Porras."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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