(Washington, United States) All OAS countries (Organization of American States) consent This Friday By acclamation, a statement criticizing the judicial process carried out by the Public Ministry of Guatemala, which it accused of “intimidating” President-elect Bernardo Arevalo.

The previous discussion was very difficult. “No, no,” Guatemalan Foreign Minister Mario Bucaro said in the room, before the Permanent Council meeting began. Discuss with the ambassadors of the countries promoting the declaration.

Some went, others came. The meeting was scheduled to be held at ten in the morning (local time), but an hour later, and with the Secretary-General Luis Almagro Negotiations continued with all representatives in the room.

The Guatemalan Foreign Minister refused He took some paragraphs to the Chilean Bank, where Ambassador Sebastian Kraljevic – one of the text’s promoters – was holding an open document with the declaration.

Bokaro sat there and began to reach into the document to point out the points he did not accept. After that, the discussion continued with several representatives about this computer. The most tense moment was when US Ambassador Frank Mora pointed out some aspects that Boccaro rejected.

It is not usual to see a foreign minister negotiating inside the Permanent Council hall with ambassadors of other countries, however Guatemala did its best to moderate a statement critical of its country.

When the session began, an hour and ten minutes after the scheduled time, Boccaro was the first to speak and criticized the OAS: “It is really worrying that a permanent council convenes in the face of every situation that occurs in my country.”

Following critical reports from the Mission of Election Observation (MOE) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the Guatemalan Foreign Minister asked to speak again to request an interim period for a final effort to negotiate changes to the declaration. He didn’t like it. He requested a “positive” text.

As in the OAS, countries’ declarations must be made by consensus, representatives went to a special meeting that lasted just over an hour where an agreement was reached.

Finally, Bokaro got the announcement – Who, despite his continued criticism of the Public Prosecution – I commend the position of President Alejandro Giammetti.

The text agreed by all countries, which is unusual for sensitive issues, indicates concern for the entire continent “Post-election actions of political actors.” the “Judiciary“implemented by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The Organization of American States indicates that the Public Prosecution applies “IntimidationThe elected government party confirms the “suspension of the Simela movement.” It contradicts the principles of representative democracyHe also criticized “the acts of intimidation against members of the Simela movement and their families.”

In the ad section, he calls on all Guatemalan authorities to “respect civil rights.” It stresses that the separation of powers must be respected, and therefore the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the judiciary must protect political rights and not interfere in the democratic process. “The separation of powers is essential,” the text says, adding that it is “unacceptable” to use justice “to suspend civil and political rights.”

Bokaro was able to include in the declaration recognition of his government for coordinating the transfer of power and providing guarantees for the personal safety of the president and vice president-elect.

Once the resolution was approved, representatives of various countries spoke about the situation in Guatemala and welcomed the approval of the resolution. unanimous.

Among many who spoke out was Uruguayan Ambassador Washington Abdallah, who said that something had bothered Foreign Minister Bucaro. Abdullah highlighted the use of the word “intimidation” in the text of the resolution, and Abdullah’s presentation concluded with applause from a large portion of the Permanent Council members.

In the middle of the discussion, more than half an hour after Abdullah spoke, Boccaro asked to speak again to request a “right of reply” against Abdullah. The Chancellor realizes that Uruguay’s statements affect his country’s sovereignty. Former Uruguayan President Jose Mujica, a political rival of the current Uruguayan government, was quoted as saying that “the sovereignty of any country is non-negotiable.”

“I can’t let you talk about the talk.”Intimidation, intimidation, intimidation‘. What I am telling you today is: Respect the ambassador, respect the ambassador, respect the ambassador. “All of us here defend democracy, and you have no right to make assertions that are only consistent with the Guatemalan legal system,” he said.

He immediately defended the actions of the prosecution. He referred to a statement issued by the organization led by Consuelo Porras, the prosecutor accused by the United States of corruption: “It clearly says that Parliament is an independent institution not subject to any national or international entity, and its main mission is to investigate all the facts that have been denounced by citizens.”

The advisor described what the Public Ministry was doing as “misinformation campaigns,” and said that this “confused citizens.”

“We have reached a consensus that we are celebrating, but the speech you are giving seems to be changing the narrative. Respect, Ambassador,” he said. Talk of “intimidation” is one “Emphasizing a fact” that is clarified, he says, by the Guatemalan legal system. When Bokaro finished his speech, his country’s delegation applauded.

Abdullahi responded to Bokaro that the only thing he did was highlight something found in the declaration approved by his government. The word is used four times. It is the first time that it indicates that the OAS is concerned about “the continued judicialization of the process and the practice of prosecutors to intimidate electoral authorities.” The text then refers to “the acts of intimidation to which members of the Similla movement were subjected.” It later states that “separation of powers is essential to the exercise of democracy, and that using the legal system as an instrument to intimidate and inappropriately suspend civil and political rights is unacceptable.”

Finally, in point 7 of the operative section, the states ask Almagro to tell prosecutors on his next visit to the country that “using the legal system as an instrument to Intimidation And Changed incorrectly “The election results are unacceptable.”

“You’re in this,” Abdullah responded to Bucarello when he reread this point of the decision. “This is what we just signed, and I didn’t leave the script. All I did was point out something important. “You can’t feel uncomfortable about this, but this is what we just signed with you,” Abdullah said.

“If you truly believe in what you signed up for, we are in this together. History will tell,” Abdullah concluded.

Almagro is scheduled to travel to Guatemala next week, according to Infobae. The new visit to the country will be to participate in the beginning of the transitional process between Giamaetti and Arevalo.

The Organization of American States pledged to the new and departing presidents to monitor the transitional process, which will begin next Monday, the fourth of this month.

The statement issued by the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States asked Almagro to submit a plan for that mission and submit periodic reports to the organization.

In addition, the States ask Almagro to resume meetings with all Guatemalan state actors, especially with the Public Prosecution. Last month, Almagro met with all the country’s political, judicial and electoral authorities.

But the states are now asking him to meet again with Attorney General Consuelo Porras, to ask the Public Ministry to stop “intimidating” the elected authorities.

At the end of the Permanent Council, Almagro presented his work plan and named the members of the delegation that will work on the new mission of cooperation in the transitional period.

Almagro said that “the success of democracy in Guatemala lies in Arevalo assuming power in January” and that “any other option is unacceptable” because it would mean “a change in the constitutional order.”

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