Central America

Review of Guatemalan elections continues, despite complaints

Photo: Prensa Libre

July 5 |

The political group Vamos, of Guatemalan president Alejandro Giammattei, demanded this Tuesday a manual recount of votes in the review of the results of the general elections of June 25 ordered by the Constitutional Court in the face of demands from right-wing forces.

The National Executive Committee of said party expressed its concern “due to the finding of evident inconsistencies between the minutes presented and the data computed in the different polling stations.

According to a communiqué, this can be confirmed by the number of them showing “inconsistencies, alterations and other discrepancies”.

The electoral boards of the 22 departments of the Central American country met this Tuesday to comply with the resolution and review the voting records that could be challenged. This will continue throughout the week and the date on which the official results will be known is unknown.

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However, the majority of Vamos prosecutors are requesting that the boxes containing the individual votes be opened and then counted manually.

This was criticized by prosecutors of other parties, who reiterated and argued that the opening of the boxes where the votes are located is illegal and is not specified in the resolution of the Constitutional Court nor in the Guatemalan law.

In this sense, through his communication channels, congressman Román Castellanos, from the social democrat group Semilla, warned about the risks of the current process.

He assured that the official party is “trying to open the ballot boxes to sabotage the electoral process and eliminate Semilla from the second electoral round”.

According to analysts and experts, the intention of Vamos could be to hinder or delay the electoral process, seeking to eventually suspend it.

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The presidential elections of last June 25 were won by former first lady Sandra Torres Casanova, of the Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza (UNE), followed by academic Bernardo Arévalo de León, of the social democrat group Semilla, who entered the second round after sweeping the urban areas.

Central America

Guatemala President Says Starlink Terminal Found Inside Prison

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo revealed on Tuesday that a Starlink terminal was discovered inside a prison in the country, highlighting corruption and the illegal introduction of advanced communication technology into the penitentiary system.

Arévalo did not specify which prison the device was found in but stressed that Starlink’s ability to connect directly to low-orbit satellites makes it particularly difficult to disrupt, posing a serious security risk.

The disclosure was made during a press conference attended by Interior Minister Marco Antonio Villeda and Defense Minister Henry Sáenz.

On January 6, specialized units of Guatemala’s National Civil Police (PNC), members of the Army and prison security personnel carried out Operation Sentinel at the Renovación 1 Maximum Security Prison for Men, located in Escuintla. According to the Interior Ministry, the operation aimed to reduce criminal activity, prevent illicit acts and stop the trafficking of prohibited items inside the prison.

During the operation, authorities also dismantled businesses operating near several prisons after detecting routers that were allegedly used to redirect internet signals into penitentiary facilities, according to local outlet Emisoras Unidas.

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Tensions escalated further over the weekend of January 17 and 18, when inmates affiliated with gangs staged riots in three prisons. During the unrest, they took prison guards and a psychologist hostage, demanding extra-large beds, air conditioning, transfers to other facilities and access to the internet.

Central America

Guatemala Police Arrest Prison Guard Caught in the Act of Extortion

Guatemala’s National Civil Police (PNC) arrested a suspected extortionist in the act during an operation carried out in the department of Quiché, authorities reported.

According to the police report, the arrest took place in Zone 1 of Santa Cruz del Quiché after officers responded to a citizen complaint. Agents from Precinct 71 identified the suspect as Encarnación “N”, 41, who was serving as a guard in the Guatemalan Penitentiary System.

The suspect was caught while attempting to collect a package simulating an extortion payment totaling 25,000 quetzales. Police intervened at the precise moment the money was being handed over, allowing authorities to document the crime in flagrante delicto.

Following the operation, the detainee was placed at the disposal of the competent courts to face criminal proceedings.

The PNC emphasized that such operations aim to dismantle criminal structures involved in extortion, regardless of whether those implicated are linked to state institutions, and urged the public to continue reporting these crimes through confidential channels.

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Central America

Honduras swears in conservative president Asfura after disputed election

Conservative politician Nasry Asfura assumed the presidency of Honduras on Tuesday with an agenda closely aligned with the United States, a shift that could strain the country’s relationship with China as he seeks to confront the economic and security challenges facing the poorest and most violent nation in Central America.

Asfura’s rise to power, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, marks the end of four years of left-wing rule and secures Trump another regional ally amid the advance of conservative governments in Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina.

The 67-year-old former mayor and construction businessman was sworn in during an austere ceremony at the National Congress, following a tightly contested election marred by opposition allegations of fraud and Trump’s threat to cut U.S. aid if his preferred candidate did not prevail.

Grateful for Washington’s support, Asfura—who is of Palestinian descent—traveled to the United States to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, before visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“We need to strengthen relations with our most important trading partner,” Asfura said after being declared the winner of the November 30 election by a narrow margin, following a tense vote count that lasted just over three weeks.