Guatemala Election Watch #23

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August 29, 2023


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Guatemala Election Watch #23
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“Lawfare” attacks by corrupt Guatemalan
government & legal system continue

“Criminalizing” the Semilla Party, members of Semilla Party, judges and lawyers, freedom of expression and peaceful protest
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Below, just some of the recent “lawfare” attacks by the Guatemala regime – pulling all the stops to prevent the Semilla Party and President-elect Arevalo and VP-elected Herrera from taking power on January 14, 2024.

Since 1954 the US-led “international community” – including notably the governments of Canada and the EU, and countless transnational corporations – have maintained political, economic and military relations with 69 years of these corrupt, anti-democratic Guatemala regimes, referring to them pretty much the entire time as “democratic allies”.

Pressure must be kept on the US, Canada and EU to do in Guatemala what these countries say they do, and have never done - support and defend democracy and the rule of law.

Grahame Russell
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

Attacking Semilla Party

Festivales Solidarios, @festivalesgt ([link removed])
Aug. 24, 2023

The MP (Public Prosecutor’s Office) has requested suspension of the legal status of the Semilla Party, which would, in turn, prevent elected Semilla members of congress from taking office on January 14, 2024.
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Prensa Libre, @prensa_libre ([link removed])
The MP (Public Prosecutor's Office) has requested the lifting of legal immunity Semilla Party members who were elected to public office in past voting.

Attacking electoral system

Festivales Solidarios, @festivalesgt ([link removed])
Aug. 22, 2023
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The MP (Public Prosecutor's Office) against Electoral Crimes requested lifting the legal immunity of Ramiro Munoz, director of Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) Citizens' Registry, so as to possibly criminalize him for breach of duty and abuse of authority.

Factor 4, @Factor4_GT ([link removed])
Aug. 22, 2023
The MP (Public Prosecutor’s Office) has requested the names of the TSE data entry coordinators and of the local TSE election boards that received the votes, as well as the places where the voting centers were located. A threat to bring more trumped up criminal charges against individuals.
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Freeing the guilty – Corrupt President Otto Perez Molina

Ricigt, @Ricigt1 ([link removed])
Aug. 22, 2023
The decision of the High Risk Court 'B' to grant conditional release to Otto Pérez Molina (alleged war criminal and former President) in the organized crime case of Cooptación Del Estado (cooptation of the State) is a blow to the fight against corruption in the country.
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Ricigt, @Ricigt1 ([link removed])
Aug. 22, 2023
Judge Eva Recinos seems to have forgotten that justice should not be for sale. Granting bail of Q300 thousand to Otto Pérez Molina (alleged war criminal and former President), convicted in organized crime ‘La Linea’ case is an insult to the integrity of our judicial system. Impunity does have a price.
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“Consuelo Porras is Attorney General of Corruption, Impunity and Death!”

Jailing the innocent - Lawyer Claudia Gonzalez

Festivales Solidarios, @festivalesgt ([link removed])
Aug.28, 2023
With her head held high, supported by family and friends and with the cry "You are innocent”, criminalized lawyer Claudia Gonzales was arrested today by Guatemala’s ‘the judicial dictatorship’, accused of abuse of authority. We repudiate the arrest and demand her immediate release.
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Prensa Comunitaria Km169, @PrensaComunitar ([link removed])
Aug.28, 2023
Lawyer Claudia González criticized Judge Jimmi Bremer for accepted the non-appearance of the prosecuting MP's office at her detention. "Why don't they do the investigation first and then arrest me? If they requested an arrest warrant, the MP should be here," she said.
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Attacking family of exiled prosecutor Juan Francisco Sandoval

Prensa Comunitaria Km169, @PrensaComunitar ([link removed])
Aug.28, 2023
"The MP stopped prosecuting corruption, to start facilitating it", said Juan Francisco Sandoval, the former –now exiled- head of the MP’s special prosecutor’s office. @JSandoval1982 ([link removed]) was speaking out about the raid on his parents' home. More than two years after his exile, the persecution continues.
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Curtailing freedom of expression

Festivales Solidarios, @festivalesgt ([link removed])
Aug. 25, 2023
Attorney General Consuelo Porras of the MP has asked the Constitutional Court of Guatemala to censor social media criticism and dissent from journalists and activists. We reject this trampling of freedom of the press and expression!
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Four and one-half months until January 14, 2024 transfer of power!

TRUTHOUT article

Guatemalans Voted to End 69 Years of Corrupt Rule. Will US, Canada Accept It?
By Grahame Russell, Rights Action, August 21, 2023, Guatemala City
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More information
* Rights Action’s “Guatemala Election Watch” alerts (www.rightsaction.org/emails)
* Twitter feeds of Festivales Solidarios (@festivalesgt) & Prensa Comunitaria (@PrensaCommunitar)
* Prensa Comunitaria’s daily news ([link removed])

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To support land and environmental defenders, and human rights, justice and democracy defense struggles in Honduras and Guatemala, make check to "Rights Action" and mail to:
* U.S.: Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887
* Canada: Box 82858, RPO Cabbagetown Toronto, ON, M5A 3Y2

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