Last updated: 15.01.2024, 04:02 a.m.
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Police are trying to restrain supporters of Guatemalan-elect President Arévalo who are protesting in front of Congress in Guatemala City against a delay in the start of the legislative term. © Santiago Billy/AP
He has been elected for months, but still not president: Bernardo Arévalo has announced that he will fight corruption in Ecuador. Some judges are trying to prevent him from taking office.
Guatemala City - In Guatemala, internal disputes and formal issues in the outgoing Congress have delayed the inauguration of the new president, Bernardo Arévalo, for several hours. Despite massive resistance from influential circles and last-minute delays, however, the Social Democrat was supposed to take his oath of office in the evening (local time) as successor to the conservative head of state Alejandro Giammattei.
The son of the country's first democratically elected president, Juan José Arévalo (65-1945), 1951-year-old Bernardo Arévalo has promised to fight widespread corruption in Guatemala. Since the surprise election victory of the former diplomat in August last year, the Attorney General's Office and some judges have been trying to annul the elections and prevent Arévalo from taking office. Dpa