Published January 15,2024
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US President Joe Biden congratulated Guatemala’s new chief Bernardo Arevalo on Monday, lauding his counterpart’s inauguration as “testament to our shared commitment to democracy and the will of the people.”
“I look forward to continuing the strong partnership between our nations as we advance human rights, strengthen civilian security, combat corruption, address the root causes of migration, and expand economic opportunity for people across our hemisphere and around the world,” Biden stated in a White House assertion.
Arevalo, a 65-year-old former lawmaker, diplomat and sociologist, pulled off a serious upset when he swept from obscurity to win elections final August, firing up voters weary of graft in considered one of Latin America’s poorest nations.
He took the oath of workplace after keeping off a barrage of makes an attempt to stop him from taking energy — together with by prosecutors dealing with accusations of graft who’re intently aligned with the nation’s political and financial ruling class.
The US State Department additionally underlined the function of democracy in Guatemala after Arevalo’s inauguration.
“We applaud the Guatemalan people for advancing the cause of democracy under challenging circumstances,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated in an announcement.
Blinken counseled “Guatemala’s institutions, civil society, and the international community for safeguarding electoral integrity, voting systems, and processes.”
Arevalo was inaugurated round midnight after hours of tug-of-war Sunday over the standing of lawmakers in his social gathering.
He takes over from Alejandro Giammattei, underneath whom a number of prosecutors combating graft had been arrested or pressured into exile.
Guatemala is ranked thirtieth out of 180 nations by Transparency International, which lists nations from most to least corrupt.
It can also be considered one of Latin America’s most unequal nations, a actuality that has, together with excessive charges of violent crime, compelled tons of of 1000’s to danger the perilous migrant journey to the United States in hopes of a greater life.
Source: www.anews.com.tr