Central America
Guatemalan president-elect warns of a coup d’état
December 10 |
The president-elect of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, indicated “we are facing an absurd, ridiculous and perverse coup d’état”, after the Attorney General’s Office indicated that the elections held this year and in which he won with 58% of the votes, should be annulled due to alleged administrative irregularities of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.
“The coup plotters are kicking the can down the road, the last shaky steps for a coup d’état”, said Arevalo, who added that these actions come from a group of high officials operating from the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP).
In the same sense, the 64 year old academic said that “the coup attempt is real and has brought us to a crucial moment for the history of our country”.
This group filed an investigation to try to prevent the presidential inauguration, on January 14, 2024, he argued.
“The coup group that occupies the MP has made very clear the intentions of the illegal actions they have carried out in the last year, they began with the repression to restrict the freedom of expression,” said the president.
According to the Guatemalan politician, these actions of the MP are part of a larger plan that the investigating entity has been greasing. “They continued with the persecution of the social and political organization, today they are exerting pressure and extortion against any official who opposes to follow their illegal instructions”, he denounced.
Among the accusations made by the MP are the alleged irregular affiliation to found the political party Movimiento Semilla, since the Prosecutor’s Office has a confirmatory statement from a former worker of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), who confessed to the alleged irregularities.
“We do not know what it is, we are simply listening to affirmations of the MP. I believe that their credibility does not exist anywhere without them demonstrating the things they are doing, we do not have access to the folder”, Arévalo emphasized.
Another of the specific accusations against the political group is an alert activated by the Intendencia de Verificación Especial (IVE) for an alleged suspicious transaction of 44,000 dollars, which in the opinion of the authorities could be a case of possible money laundering.
“The 44 thousand dollars that are reported are even known in a loan contract that we subscribed with a person who is affiliated to the party to be able to pay the fine imposed on us by the TSE, it is perfectly documented and registered”, he explained.
Lawyers of the group said they have a clear legal route, since they will have to respond to the new requests of pre-trial presented against the president elect and two deputies of the party.
Central America
Panama grants Martinelli 72-hour extension to travel to Nicaragua
On Monday (March 31, 2025), Panama extended the safe-conduct pass for former President Ricardo Martinelli by three more days to allow him to travel to Nicaragua, after the Central American country refused to receive him due to concerns over an alleged Interpol arrest warrant.
“The National Government has decided to extend the validity of the safe-conduct pass for an additional seventy-two (72) hours, until the end of Thursday, April 3, 2025,” the Panamanian Foreign Ministry stated in a communiqué. The original permit was set to expire Monday at midnight (05:00 GMT on Tuesday).
The Foreign Ministry explained that regarding the ‘humanitarian asylum’ granted to Martinelli last Thursday, which was set to expire Monday at midnight, the Nicaraguan government requested clarifications about an apparent Interpol alert, which had already been dismissed as inadmissible.
Additionally, the Panamanian Supreme Court of Justice, as the highest authority of the Judicial Branch, stated on Monday that it had “no objections” to granting asylum and a safe-conduct to Martinelli, as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch.
Central America
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary urges Mexico to strengthen Guatemala border
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed on Monday that during last week’s meeting with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, she urged Mexico to reinforce its border with Guatemala and share biometric datawith U.S. authorities.
“I gave her a list of things that President Trump would love to see. And it was exceptional. It was supposed to be a half-hour meeting, but we talked for nearly two hours. It was very productive,” Noem said in an interview with Fox News.
The Homeland Security Secretary requested that Sheinbaum, who has already deployed 10,000 National Guard troopsalong Mexico’s northern border with the U.S., also secure Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala.
Noem added that she also asked the Mexican president to share biometric data with the U.S., to which Sheinbaum responded that she was “willing to discuss it,” although she acknowledged that it could be a controversial issue in her country.
Central America
Panama police clarifies that Interpol alert for Martinelli is still pending
Panama’s National Police clarified on Sunday that an Interpol alert request for former President Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014) is still under review and has yet to be confirmed. Martinelli was granted a safe-conduct pass last Thursday to leave the Nicaraguan embassy, where he has been seeking asylum since February 2024 after being convicted of corruption.
“The National Police clarifies that there is currently an active process for an Interpol alert, requested by Judge Baloisa Marquínez, against former President Ricardo Martinelli. This request must be analyzed by Interpol’s General Secretariat (headquartered in France) for approval or rejection. If approved, it will be notified to member countries,” the police stated in a press release sent to EFE.
According to the statement, “at the moment, it remains an ongoing procedure, and former President Martinelli does not have a confirmed alert.”
The announcement came hours after National Police Director Jaime Fernández had told the press that an “Interpol alert” for Martinelli had been received on Friday.
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