Guatemala City, Dec 14 (EFE). – The Constitutional Court of Guatemala, the country’s highest court, ruled Thursday that the authorities elected in this year’s elections must take office in January, as established by law.
The court’s decision came in response to a request from a group of lawyers who filed a lawsuit to guarantee democracy in the face of attempts by the Attorney General’s Office to reverse the triumph of president-elect Bernardo Arévalo.
In the press release that accompanied its decision, the Court stated that it was issued «in accordance with its ultimate objective of upholding the rule of law.»
It also noted that the ruling was «timely» to «safeguard the constitutional order» in the Central American country.
The Constitutional Court, however, points out in its ruling that the decision is «without prejudice» to any investigation that the Public Prosecutor’s Office may wish to carry out, or to the «powers of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on serious evidence» on issues related to the elections.
The ruling by the Central American country’s highest court is said to put an end to the Public Ministry’s attempts to overturn Arévalo’s electoral victory.
The Constitutional Court asked Congress on Thursday to «guarantee» the inauguration scheduled for January 14, which was in jeopardy after the Public Ministry requested on December 8 that the elections be annulled due to alleged irregularities.
The judges of the Constitutional Court also urged the current president, Alejandro Giammattei to «promote national unity».
The vote on Thursday was four judges in favor of the published opinion and one against.
Since last July, the Public Prosecutor’s Office has been trying to reverse the victory of Arévalo de León, who was in eighth place in the polls and who will take office with a strong anti-corruption platform.
Arévalo de León warned on September 1 that the Attorney General and head of the Public Ministry, Consuelo Porras Argueta, was carrying out a coup against him along with «other corrupt actors». EFE
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