From December 9-10, the US government will host the first two Democracy Summits, where leaders of state, civil society, and the private sector will meet virtually to discuss challenges and threats to democracy. However, Guatemala’s participation in the aforementioned event is uncertain.
According to a column by journalist Anders Oppenheimer in Miami HeraldThere are eight countries not invited by President Joe Biden’s government, including Guatemala, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, El Salvador, Honduras and Haiti.
Oppenheimer says that according to information from US officials, Argentina and Mexico appear as guests, who are “de facto allies of the dictatorships of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.”
Among the issues that will be discussed at the summit will be the general mistrust and the inability of governments to achieve equitable economic and political progress. Likewise, it will analyze how inequality and corruption are eroding democracy along with the advancement of authoritarian leaders who attack journalists and human rights defenders.
In Guatemala, the summit is preceded by some events of particular importance to the international community. Among them are the inclusion of Attorney General Consuelo Porras on Engel’s List (of corrupt actors), the persecution of journalists who have criticized the government and its allies in various state institutions, including the Public Prosecution Office.
“For the United States, the Summit will provide an opportunity to listen, learn, and engage with a broad range of actors whose support and commitment are essential to global democratic renewal,” a statement from the State Department read.
For its part, the Social Communication Secretariat at the Presidency of the Republic reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not received any official invitation, so it cannot issue any position.