Within Guatemala there are currently blockades that are happening in protest to tampering of the current election results. The protests are focused around the accusations that the attorney general is trying to prevent the election of Bernardo Arévalo in January. This new president that could be elected has plans to greatly improve the country including a better education system to decrease the illiteracy in the nation. The protests started out peaceful with the blockades however, the police now has started to push back against the protests. There are now riot police in the streets pushing back against the protestors. This has caused the situation to escalate to the use of tear gas from the police and the protestors being more aggressive.
This is an important issue because it contests the democracy of Guatemala. The corruption within the government system is drawing the citizens of Guatemala to stand up against Consuelo Porras, the attorney general responsible for the claims. She has been accused of protecting corrupt politicians, secretly working with the president, and purposefully blocking investigations. She is trying to remove the president-elect by opening investigations into Bernardo Arévalo’s party. This corruption is ruining the current democracy that is in place and is denying the people in Guatemala from having an honest election.
Information and images from ‘Prensa Libre’
