The Guatemala Public Prosecutor’s Office raids the headquarters of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and opens ballot boxes – DW – 09/13/2023

Public Prosecutor’s Office GuatemalaPresident-elect Bernardo Arevalo, who was accused on September 1 of promoting a “coup,” attacked the electoral process again on Tuesday (12/09/2023), by opening boxes with the votes of last September 25 elections. June, an unprecedented measure deemed “illegal” by the Electoral Court.

“They are taking desperate measures to overthrow democracy in Guatemala because they did not win at the ballot box,” said Representative Samuel Perez, a member of parliament. Seed movementArevalo’s party, in response to the judicial proceedings.

For his part, the president-elect demanded the resignation of Prosecutor Consuelo Porras, as well as the prosecutor and judge on charges of orchestrating an alleged coup plan.

“Guatemalans, the coup plotters must resign. Prosecutor Consuelo Porras, Prosecutor Rafael Corochichi and Judge Freddy Orellana, in a harmful association, have created a new escalation in the developing coup,” Arevalo said in a press conference.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office, protecting an order issued by Criminal Judge Orellana, raided the headquarters of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal to access 160 boxes containing the votes of the first round held on June 25, and carried out a recount of the votes.

This jurisprudence “arising from a citizen’s complaint alleging irregularities,” said Prosecutor Kurochishi, who was responsible for opening ballot boxes and who was sanctioned by the United States in 2022 under allegations of corruption and undermining justice.

On September 1, Arevalo de León publicly warned of a “coup” orchestrated by Attorney General Consuelo Porras to prevent him from taking office on January 14. he Prosecutor Kureshish denied these accusations.

They point out violations

“This is unprecedented in Guatemala,” said Gloria Lopez, director of elections at the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. “The electoral law does not allow anyone to open ballot boxes and see what is inside them, and auditing is limited to vote-receiving boards.” .

The electoral authorities opposed the action taken by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and warned that if votes were seized, their custody would be lost and the Public Prosecution Office would be responsible for the consequences that might ensue. .

For her part, lawyer and Semilla-elect Andrea Reyes confirmed to EFE that they are preparing legal action to try to reverse the recent actions of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Reyes said that although Prosecutor Kurochichi denies that this action has anything to do with the president-elect’s party, Judge Orellana has ordered raids under the case file number of the lawsuit against this political group for alleged false signatures in the creation process in 2018.

According to analysts and lawyers, the Public Prosecutor’s Office seeks with these measures to create the scenario for requesting judicial action against Arevalo de Leon, after he failed in an attempt to cancel his party on its way to the run-off that took place last year. August 20.

Last updated at 04:55 CET.

p (efe, prensa libre)