Guatemala: The top electoral tribunal of Guatemala has declared Mr. Bernardo Arevalo the winner of the country’s presidential elections. But his chances of taking charge on January 14, 2024, were uncertain due to the suspension of all activities by his Seed Movement party by another government body.
Mr. Arevalo, the center-left son of a former president, won the second-round run-off against former First Lady Ms. Sandra Torres. According to reports, the 64-year-old former diplomat secured 60.9 percent of the valid votes cast against 37.2 percent for Ms. Torres.
Officials from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal confirmed Mr. Arevalo as the winner and were asked questions about a document from the electoral registry published in the media that ordered a temporary suspension of Seed’s legal registration. During the election campaign, prosecutors threatened to bar the party from the polls, prompting an outcry among people in Guatemala and in the international community.
“These are the official results, and that’s what counts in Guatemala,” tribunal magistrate Mr. Gabriel Aguilera said. Mr. Arevalo is due to take office on January 14. Tribunal head Ms. Irma Palencia commented that the citizens registry was a lower authority and that she had yet to be formally notified about the suspension order. Ms. Palencia stressed that Arevalo was officially the winner.
The electoral body suspended the Seed after the attorney general’s office opened an investigation into the party over “irregularities in the gathering of signatures” for its formation. The party has three days to challenge the suspension, with any appeal elevating the issue to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.
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