This decision responds to an amparo action filed by nine political parties due to “doubts” in the counting and qualification of votes.
The Constitutional Court of Guatemala has ordered this Saturday the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) to temporarily suspend the officialization of the results of the general elections held on June 25 and to call a new hearing to review the scrutiny.
According to a official statement of the country’s highest court, this decision responds to an amparo action filed by nine traditional Guatemalan political parties against the TSE, due to “doubts” in the counting and qualification of votes. In his opinion, there are “obvious discrepancies” and “multiple inconsistencies” between the minutes of the polling stations and the data published by the TSE, which “evidence falsehood”.
In this way, the competent electoral bodies must carry out a comparison between the minutes that were part of the electoral process and determine if each of them “complied with the legal requirements”. In case of establishing that could “have altered the result of the vote”, the corresponding modifications or cancellations must be introduced, the document points out.
The results should be ready for next August 20, scheduled date for the second round of the presidential elections. The deadlines must be adhered to “strictly” so that the change of government can be carried out on time, which must take place on January 14, 2024, warns the press release.
The Constitutional Court hopes that its decision will guarantee the “purity of the electoral process”reflects the “democratic will of the citizens” and ensures that the republican, democratic and representative system does not suffer damage”.
Torres and Arevalo talk
Sandra Torres, from the National Unity of Hope (UNE) party, and Bernardo Arevalo, from the Seed Movement, who would contest the second round of the presidential elections next month, spoke after the resolution.
“The only thing we want is to give legitimacy to the process, here no one is asking for a repeat election, nor that we were crazy. We want everyone to clear up doubts and that the will of the people be respected,” Torres said at a press conference.
Likewise, the candidate questioned the purchase of the Preliminary Electoral Results Transmission system (TREP), which announced the preliminary results of the voting on June 25. “It was not logical nor did it make sense to have bought a system just for the department of Guatemala. It is an overvalued program, of seven and a half million that did not make sense and that is now the problem,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, Arevalo stressed in a address before the Constitutional Court that what was resolved this Saturday was issued “outside the legal framework” and violates “all the rules and deadlines established in the legislation for this type of protection.” Everything, with the purpose of “boggling down the electoral process”, which “Threatens to indefinitely defer second round.”
“We are going to defend the results of the polls held this Sunday, June 25. We are not going to allow the will of the people of Guatemala to be cheated through tricks. We are going to ask the TSE to request a revocation of this resolution due to its evident lack of framework legal and for being dangerous to the integrity of the electoral process”.
Source: RT
