The president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo de León, declared that his government will not tolerate the public force carrying out illegal orders requested by the Public Ministry, an institution facing sanctions from the United States for corruption. In an urgent press conference, Arévalo de León expressed his concern about the crisis in Guatemalan justice and summoned Attorney General Consuelo Porras Argueta to provide explanations about her work, as mandated by law.
The Government of Guatemala plans to establish a "mechanism" to prevent security forces from obeying "illegal" orders issued by the Public Ministry. This decision comes after the Public Ministry, in collaboration with the National Civil Police, raided the home of former Minister of Communications Félix Alvarado, a prominent figure of the official party Movimiento Semilla.
Regarding the Alvarado case, the Public Ministry stated that it involves alleged money laundering and is under judicial reserve. The former minister recently resigned from his position after disagreements with Arévalo de León about the direction the institution should take. Alvarado's arrival at the ministry was seen as an attempt to end entrenched corrupt practices in Guatemalan politics.
This raid adds to a series of legal proceedings initiated by the Public Ministry since 2023 against Movimiento Semilla and its members, following their victory in the elections that year. These actions have been criticized by the party and the international community, which considers them an attack on democracy. The leadership of the Attorney General's Office, headed by Consuelo Porras Argueta, has been subject to sanctions from the United States and the European Union, accused of corruption and undermining democracy.
In summary, the president of Guatemala has maintained that security forces will not engage in illegal actions proposed by the Attorney General's Office amidst the controversy surrounding the investigation of former Minister Alvarado and other government members.
