Al Jazeera talks to political analysts and different consultants in regards to the political developments following the Guatemalan elections.
Guatemala Metropolis, Guatemala – Lower than two weeks have handed for the reason that progressive, anti-corruption candidate Bernardo Arevalo won Guatemala's presidential election, capping a months-long marketing campaign marred by scandal.
However Arevalo's victory in runoff on August 20 has not ended the political turmoil, as electoral officers earlier this week suspended the president-elect's Seed Motion social gathering simply hours after his victory was licensed.
The Registry of Residents, a physique inside the Supreme Electoral Courtroom, introduced on Monday that it had quickly suspended the party following the order of a decrease court docket choose.
Legal professionals from the Seed Motion social gathering contested the choice a day later, setting the stage for attainable appeals earlier than Guatemala's Supreme and Constitutional courts – the previous is the very best court docket within the Central American nation.
After the certification of the elections and amid joint worldwide stress to respect the outcomes, the outgoing president of Guatemala said Alejandro Giammattei his administration would start the transition of energy starting on September four.
Nonetheless, the suspension of the Seed Motion is the newest in a collection of challenges for the center-left social gathering, in addition to Arevalo, who will probably be sworn in early subsequent 12 months and will face severe difficulties in governing if the suspension is upheld.
Whereas presidential candidate Sandra Torres of the conservative social gathering Uniteti Kombëtar i Shpresa (UNE) has remained silent after her defeat, her social gathering has continued to make unfounded accusations of irregularities within the counting of votes.
Worldwide and native observers have unanimously maintained the integrity of the elections.
Right here, Al Jazeera talks to Guatemalan political analysts and constitutional legislation consultants in regards to the newest political developments within the nation – and what comes subsequent.
Edgar Ortiz, constitutional lawyer and analyst on the Liberty and Improvement Basis, a center-right suppose tank
“It is rather clear that this choice [to suspend the Seed Movement] it was not authorized.
“It’s the freezing of some rights of a political social gathering.
“There’s one other authorized one [mechanism], which is cancellation. By cancellation, legally talking, [a party] dies, disappears. However with a suspension of the social gathering, it nonetheless exists.
“This choice is just not last. [The Seed Movement] you might have already made a grievance, and [Supreme Electoral Tribunal] will maintain a listening to. My intestine tells me the election tribunal will favor [the party].
“That is one other instance of how the general public prosecutor's workplace is utilizing the legal legislation to attempt to stop [the Seed Movement] from taking workplace”.
Oswaldo Samayoa, constitutional legislation knowledgeable and professor on the San Carlos College of Guatemala
“There’s a breach of the constitutional order.
“On the one hand, it’s the destruction of the train of free political participation of residents via political events. And alternatively, it’s the institution of censorship mechanisms for political participation towards these with ideologies or positions completely different from these. [of] the elites.
“[The suspension] removes the opportunity of the Seed Motion social gathering from being a legislative bloc inside the Congress.
“If the suspension manages to carry over time to pave the best way for cancellation, [Seed Movement] there could be 23 deputies with out a legislative bloc, who can’t be a part of legislative commissions and who can’t be a part of the Board of Administrators. [of Congress] subsequent 12 months.
“[It takes] energy away from Bernardo Arevalo inside Congress.”
Gabriela Carrera, professor of political science at Rafael Landivar College in Guatemala Metropolis
“An important downside is just not for the Seed Motion social gathering, however for the democracy of Guatemala.
“They’re uprooting a political undertaking. It’s a coup for participation, illustration and building of collective proposals. It's not nearly Arevalo.
“The query is how the residents will reply.
“[Arevalo] it could by no means have gotten to the place it’s with out the voters. “They’re the themes of democracy, the voters, the residents.”
Luis Fernando Mack, sociologist and professor of political science on the San Carlos College of Guatemala
“[The suspension] It’s a signal that the actors in energy can use all of the authorized and institutional mechanisms of their favor to impede the brand new authorities and play hardball. It's like a login warning.
“The choice will most likely be revoked by the Civil Registry, however you by no means know what they are going to do. However evidently the court docket will reject it [suspension].
“They’re producing emotions of concern and insecurity [people’s] minds.”