The EU strengthens its alliance with Arévalos Guatemala | International

The EU strengthens its alliance with Arevalos Guatemala International

This Tuesday, the European Union took a further step in its support of the democratic process in Guatemala, which Brussels believes is embodied by the new President of the Central American country, Bernardo Arévalo. After supporting his inauguration and imposing sanctions on the Guatemalan Attorney General Consuelo Porras, considered one of the main people responsible for the attempt to torpedo the post-election transfer of power, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, has now signed a memorandum of understanding , with which the EU reiterates its intention to “strengthen” relations with Arévalos Guatemala.

The memorandum shows the EU's “clear and firm” will to “strengthen” bilateral relations with Guatemala through a “regular, open and structured” dialogue between Brussels and the Central American country, emphasized Borrell after the joint signing of the document with Guatemala Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martínez in the presence of Arévalo. The Guatemalan president is in the middle of a European trip that has already taken him to Germany and France and will end in Spain. In Brussels, in addition to Borrell, Arévalo also met with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, as well as MEPs Javi López, co-president of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly, and Jordi Cañas, who led the EU election observation mission to Guatemala.

“We have to build bridges and paths in order to be able to walk together,” emphasized Arévalo in statements to this newspaper in the Belgian capital. “We are working together to build a world in which the European Union and our country agree on the belief of a world governed by laws, democratic values, democratic institutions, full respect for human rights and economic development processes.” “Inclusivity and the on international level are based on respect for international law and the search for peaceful solutions to all the problems we face,” he added.

The agreement will make it possible to “expand our political, commercial and cooperative relations with you, Mr. President, and with your government, but above all with the people of Guatemala,” emphasized Borrell. In addition, he has announced that a European mission will visit the country in March to promote the 50 million euro program that the EU will invest in the Petény department, which Borrell himself announced during his visit to the country in mid-January , when he attended Arévalo's investiture. Despite the strong international presence, the seizure of power was delayed for hours as some MPs tried to torpedo the transfer, the latest of several maneuvers during the electoral process to prevent his ascension to the presidency, as he also denounced the Europeans sent to Guatemala Election observation mission.

In early February, the Council of the EU announced sanctions against prosecutor Porras as well as three other high-ranking officials in the State Ministry and a judge for “undermining democracy, the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power” in Guatemala.

For MEP Cañas (Ciudadanos), the Memorandum of Understanding marks a new moment in bilateral relations that must be continued with greater European investments to help solve the underlying problem, namely inequality.

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“The Arévalo government has the opportunity to initiate a process of change” that is “important not only for Guatemala but for the region, in a context in which Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Costa Rica themselves are beginning to have problems. “ “He noted, adding: “Now is the time for Europe to help with specific programs, declarations of intent, etc.” [programa] Global Gateway and investments capable of reducing inequality.”

One of the topics that has come up these days on a European tour is the situation of the journalist José Rubén Zamora, who has been imprisoned since July 2022 after he accused those close to the then President Alejandro Giammattei of corruption. In this context, Arévalo has assured that his executive's concern towards Zamora is “continuing”, recalling that the abuses of Zamora's prison conditions had already been identified after his new Interior Minister took office. practically torture and harassment.” Nevertheless, he recalled, as a government it cannot “intervene in legal proceedings.” For this reason, he added: “What we guarantee is that while their situation is being clarified, their conditions of stay will be the most dignified and appropriate, within the conditions permitted by law. We hope that we can resolve this soon.”

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