MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Guatemalan President denounces “coup attempt”

The foundation of democracy and respect for the will of the people is at stake, Arévalo warned

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo on Sunday delivered a strong rebuke against what he called an attempted “coup,” publicly accusing Attorney General Consuelo Porras and Judge Fredy Orellana of leading a “criminal alliance” to dismantle the country's democratic institutions.

In a broadcast message, Arévalo asserted that the two judiciary officials were attempting to “plunge Guatemala into authoritarianism, corruption, and impunity,” by overturning the will of the people expressed in the 2023 elections that brought him to power.

The head of State specifically pointed to a judicial offensive led by Judge Orellana, who intends to have the Supreme Electoral Tribunal “distort the results of the 2023 elections.”

Arévalo also claimed that Orellana, whom he called a “hitman who twists the laws in the service of Consuelo Porras,” was attempting to trigger the “unconstitutional removal” of a mayor, 23 deputies elected by Arévalo's Semilla Movement, and both the Vice President and the President himself. The dispute intensified recently following a court order, requested by the prosecutor's office, to annul the Semilla party's promotional group.

In the President's view, the conspirators' ultimate goal was to “perpetuate the impunity” of those involved in corruption, drug trafficking, and organized crime, ensuring they can “steal everyone's money.” He warned that the judicial campaign aims to block the reform of democratic institutions and corrupt the electoral processes scheduled for 2026 and 2027.

Arévalo denounced that Porras and Orellana “have created a climate of terror” by using illegitimate judicial proceedings to imprison “honest citizens,” including indigenous authorities, lawyers, and journalists who have defended democracy. He specifically named former indigenous leaders Luis Pacheco and Héctor Chaclán as victims of this “macabre process.”

In response to the crisis, the President announced he has requested a special session of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS), citing the Inter-American Democratic Charter, to brief it on the “serious threats” to Guatemala’s Constitution and democracy.

The OAS General Secretariat subsequently issued its own statement, calling for “respect for the will of the Guatemalan people,” who elected Arévalo in 2023 under the organization's monitoring.

In addition, Arévalo called on the Supreme Court to dismiss Judge Orellana and urged the Constitutional Court to guarantee the protection of the 2023 election results. He then called for national unity, stating: “What is at stake is not a government or a party, but the foundation of democracy and respect for the will of the people.”