Elections in Guatemala: Validate sole indigenous woman’s veto power but daughter of ex-dictator may contest

Constitutional Court b Guatemala Announced on Thursday to keep He refused to register candidates from the two opposition parties for the June presidential elections. On the other hand, it supported the registration of two other candidates for government-aligned policies that were condemned due to a constitutional ban.

The Court decided to dismiss appeals from the rejected parties who sought to overturn the Supreme Court of Justice’s decision to accept the initial refusal of the Citizens’ Register and the Supreme Court for Elections.

He also denied pleas from other political parties seeking to remove two other groups from the feud. Court decisions are temporary until they are finally resolved.

Guatemala will renew its president, vice president, deputies in Congress, mayors and deputies in the Central American Parliament in June 25th And less than a month before the end of the candidates’ registration period, two parties exit the electoral competition by decision of the constitutional entity that has the final word. The presidential race has been marked by controversy Since the call to the polls.

around Peoples Liberation Movement (MLP), a left-wing indigenous and peasant party that advocates for a multinational state. Thelma Cabrera He leads the pairing and he The only indigenous woman candidate for the presidency and Jordan Rodas Andrade, a former human rights lawyer, is accompanying him as his vice-presidential candidate.

Ramiro MunozThe Electoral Registrar initially refused to register the party’s candidacies for an administrative reason, arguing that Rhodes Andrade He lacks a document proving that he has no outstanding accounts with the state. The so-called settlement is a requirement stipulated in the Integrity and Responsibilities of Public Officials and Employees Act.

However, the former attorney general, who is a vocal critic of Alejandro Giamatti’s government, has no constitutional prohibition (which provides for impediments to access to office) from standing in elections.

The other rejected party is Podemos, from the right, which is promoting as a presidential candidate Roberto Arzo Garcia Granados. His candidacy was initially accepted by the Register of Citizens, but was challenged by the Supreme Court of Elections. He withdrew his registration over allegations that he campaigned early, despite the fact that at least two other candidates who received early election warnings still maintain their registrations.

Nominations held by the Constitutional Court in force are from Zuri Might Rios Sosa Based on Sandra Torres Casanova.

Ríos Sosa, daughter of José Efraín Ríos Montt, the deceased former dictator whose conviction—later overturned—of genocide, is running for the Valor-Unionista coalition of radical right-wing parties.

In Article 186 of the Guatemalan Constitution, warlords, coup leaders and their relatives are prohibited from running for president and vice president. Based on this limitation, Ríos Sosa had been banned from participating on previous occasions. However, for the following race, he was one of the early favorites registered.

Sandra application Casanova Towersthe former first lady (divorced from the late former President Álvaro Colom Caballeros 2008-2012) and his vice presidential nominee, Romeo Guerra.

Although the decision on their participation was challenged by the political parties Kabale and Todos, both the Electoral Court and the ordinary judiciary – with decisions of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court – ratified their admission.

February 27th Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch, the international human rights organization, warned that Cabrera’s registration had been rejected on “questionable grounds” and that it “could jeopardize the election’s credibility.”

The 52-year-old Indigenous leader participated in the electoral contest for the first time in 2019 and came fourth with 456,114 votes in her favour, 10% of the total votes cast.

According to the view of many analysts, Cabrera and Rodas have strong options in the presidential race, as they warn that the far right, and some sectors that support corruption in the Central American country, will seek to avoid their participation in the judiciary. manner in the elections.

General elections will be held in Guatemala on June 25 to appoint, in addition to a new president, 160 deputies to Congress, 20 to the Central American Parliament and 340 mayors for the period 2024-2028.

(With information from EFE and AP)

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