Guatemala’s Supreme Court Reverses Ban on Presidential Candidate

Guatemala’s Constitutional Court has overturned a lower court’s ruling that blocked one of the presidential contenders from participating in the upcoming runoff election. The ruling came in response to a motion filed by the social-democratic Semilla party, whose candidate finished second in the first round of voting. The court stated that the investigation into Semilla by the Attorney General’s Office does not suspend the party’s participation in the election. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal also reiterated that it would not exclude the candidate from the second round, despite the lower court’s order. The controversy stems from allegations of illegal campaign contributions and falsified signatures against Semilla, brought by a prosecutor who has been sanctioned by the US government for allegedly fabricating cases against former prosecutors. The attempt to exclude Semilla is seen as part of a pattern of interference in the electoral process by the current administration. The runoff will now proceed as planned, with Semilla’s candidate facing former first lady Sandra Torres.