Guatemala’s Judicial Coup denounced by Costa Rica!
San José, Oct 27 (EFE).-
The government of Costa Rica expressed its support for Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, considering him the victim of an attempted coup by judicial authorities on Monday, for which it requested the intervention of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the international community.
“The government of Costa Rica firmly supports the democratic government of President Arévalo and the courageous Guatemalan people, who are currently facing a blatant coup attempt by certain elements within Guatemala’s judicial system,” the Costa Rican presidency stated.
On Friday, Judge Fredy Orellana sought to suspend the Guatemalan political party Movimiento Semilla and asked the Supreme Electoral Tribunal to annul the 2023 election results, declaring the presidential post vacant, something he had done several times in the past.
On Monday, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal reiterated that the election results are final and cannot be overturned.
Costa Rica’s statement affirmed that “no institution is above the sovereign will of the people expressed through sacred suffrage” and that “it is not acceptable for interest groups and anti-democrats to manipulate institutions and courts of justice to undermine democracy.”
Costa Rica called on the Guatemalan people, the OAS, and the international community “to defend democratic principles, the independence of powers, and respect for electoral results together.”
In a national broadcast on Sunday, President Arévalo de León described Orellana’s ruling as an attempted “coup” and affirmed that “in recent days, the criminal alliance entrenched in the Attorney General’s Office and certain sectors of the justice system have again attempted to plunge Guatemala into authoritarianism, corruption, and impunity.” EFE
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