Guatemala: Prosecutor Wants To Strip President-Elect Bernardo Arevalo of Immunity

The current government of Guatemala is accused of trying to stop President-elect Bernardo Arevalo from gaining power, and a Guatemalan prosecutor is now trying to jail him and strip him of immunity.

As president-elect, Bernardo Arevalo enjoys immunity from prosecution, but Prosecutor Angel Sanchez, who works under controversial Attorney General Consuelo Porras, who herself is under a US government watchlist for corruption, wants that immunity to end.

According to Reuters, Sanchez is accusing Arevalo of being complicit in the takeover of San Carlos University in the capital, Guatemala City, last year. The president-elect was accused of "damaging cultural assets, illicit association, and influence trafficking."

This is just the latest escalation in the political crisis happening in Guatemala, as the country is facing high levels of corruption in its current government, including trying to suppress the opposition. When opposition candidate Bernardo Arevalo surprised many by qualifying for the runoff election, he and his Seed Movement Party were suddenly hounded by various investigations.

Porras, who has been sanctioned by the US government due to corruption, has been pursuing Arevalo and his party ever since he won against establishment candidate Sandra Torres in a landslide. This includes raids on the country's electoral tribunal and offices of the Seed Movement.

Should President-elect Bernardo Arevalo and Vice President-elect Karin Herrera's immunity be revoked, it could lead to them being arrested, disrupting their scheduled inauguration in January. However, judges and lawmakers must still decide on Arevalo and Herrera's fate.

Bernardo Arevalo, US Government React to New Accusations Vs. President-Elect

On Thursday, shortly after the prosecutor asked that Arevalo's immunity be revoked, the president-elect stated that Sanchez's actions are "absolutely illegal" and an affront to democracy, adding, "What we're seeing is their limitless capacity to fabricate cases."

The prosecutor wants to issue arrest warrants for 27 others, as well as raids on various people connected to the San Carlos University protest, which lasted until June of this year.

Meanwhile, a top US diplomat, Brian Nichols, who is the assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, condemned the action, saying, "Today's raids (ordered by prosecutors) and other ongoing efforts to undermine democracy in Guatemala are unacceptable."

Meanwhile, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller announced that 11 more Guatemalans would face US sanctions for undermining democracy, according to the Associated Press.

"The United States unequivocally rejects continued, brazen efforts to undermine Guatemala's peaceful transition of power to President-elect Bernardo Arevalo," Miller wrote in a statement. This includes Public Ministry officials' plans to file charges against President-elect Arevalo and Vice President-elect (Karin) Herrera, as well as members of the Semilla party and other opposition members. We also condemn the politically motivated raids and arrests targeting members of the Semilla party."

International Observers Condemn Guatemala Government's Latest Actions Vs. Bernardo Arevalo

The Organization of American States also condemned the actions of Guatemalan prosecutors and called for a smooth transition of power, according to Insight Crime.

The OAS was one of the many international observers during the elections last August. It found no widespread fraud. However, Guatemalan prosecutors still launched various election fraud investigations in their effort to overturn Arevalo's win.

While there was no widespread fraud found, international observers did find interference from the government, especially the justice system.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Guatemalan President-elect Arévalo discusses effort to keep him from taking office - PBS NewsHour