Pro-Democracy Protests Intensify in Guatemala

Facts

• Indigenous leaders in Guatemala have organized nationwide protests to demand the resignation of Attorney General Consuelo Porras, who they accuse of working to prevent President-elect Bernardo Arévalo from taking office.¹
• Thousands of farmers and members of Indigenous communities erected more than 120 roadblocks that have reportedly paralyzed parts of Guatemala for over a week. Riot police began clearing the roadblocks on Tuesday after Pres. Alejandro Giammattei vowed to end the protests.²
• Arévalo, an anti-corruption crusader who won the Aug. 11 run-off with about 61% of the vote, has denounced reported efforts to neutralize him before he takes office in January as a 'coup.'³
• Protesters allege that political figures, including Porras, have been conducting raids and targeting Arévalo's campaign so as to threaten the election result and undermine Guatemala's democracy.¹
• Meanwhile, Giammattei has ordered the arrest of the protest leaders 'so that justice can be applied,' claiming the Indigenous leaders 'have received support and advice from foreigners.'⁴
• Last May, the US suspended aid to the attorney general's office and barred Porras and her husband from entering its territory for allegedly obstructing 'anti-corruption investigations in Guatemala' with the aim of protecting 'her political allies' as well as gaining 'undue political favor.'⁵

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera (a), ²ABC News, ³The Guardian, ⁴Associated Press and ⁵Al Jazeera (b).

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by El País English. Guatemala's Indigenous leaders — frustrated with government corruption and organized crime in their country — are protesting against threats to the country's electoral integrity and trying to prevent attempts to subvert the country's presidential elections. Their protests will ensure a democratic and peaceful transfer of power in Guatemala.
• Narrative B, as provided by Reuters. Those protesting in Guatemala have received large sums of foreign money to finance nationwide demonstrations. The perpetrators of the vandalism and economic damage caused by current protests must be brought to justice. Guatemala's Attorney General is simply doing what is expected of her — upholding the law.