Since colonial times, Central Americans have had historical ties that unite us in a special way with Guatemala. At present we share the economic integration in SIECA and the organization of political collaboration in SICA.
In the case of Costa Rica we must remember that the conquest of our Central Plateau began with Juan de Cavallón sent from Guatemala. During the colony we were part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala. Our few peasants who managed to enter the University had their first opportunity at the San Carlos University in Guatemala. Independence was proclaimed in Guatemala, and the news reached us from there. Our first constitution, the Pact of Concord, originated in the proposal sent from Guatemala by “Citizen Pablo”, the Costa Rican doctor Pablo de Alvarado y Bonilla who proposed independence in those parts.
In republican life, very often various Latin American countries have fought for the same causes with Guatemala, the most populated country and with the highest GDP in Central America.
The cultural wealth of Guatemala is immense.
With Lorena I have enjoyed the beauty and magnificence of her Mayan and colonial heritage, her geography and her art.
I was moved as President to arrive on an official visit and hear the national anthem of that nation sung in Spanish and six indigenous languages.
Guatemala has had a long, hard and difficult struggle since it recovered democracy in the eighties, to preserve and improve it for its inhabitants.
In recent years, the so-called “Corrupt Pact” has been consolidated, which is a coalition of politicians, businessmen, officials and judges interested in preventing the fight against corruption and that has been preventing the operation of the instruments created to clean up politics and the government in that nation.
Now Guatemalans have achieved victory in their fight for political freedom, ethics in public office and the business world, for the validity of democracy and the rescue of the rule of law.
Bernardo Arévalo is a sociologist, with a doctorate in philosophy and social anthropology, who has been a diplomat, official in international organizations and is one of the founders of the Semilla Movement Party for which he was elected deputy in 2020. He is the son of Juan José Arévalo, the first democratic president after the Ubico dictatorship. He was born and knows exile.
For last year’s electoral process, two popular candidates had been prevented from participating, and Arévalo barely appeared in the polls. In the La Prensa Libre polls of April and June 2023 he was second to last with only 0.7% of the vote and eighth with 2.9% respectively.
Surprisingly he took second place in the first round.
They immediately began attempts to prevent first his election and then his presidency. The Constitutional Chamber accepted a protection from opposing parties and delayed determining the result. Then a prosecutor and a judge suspended the legal personality of the Semilla Movement Party. Later, the Public Ministry raided Semilla’s offices and issued an arrest warrant against a former candidate for deputy and an official.
Overcoming these obstacles thanks to internal and international mobilization – including the Grupo Idea Democratic Initiative of Spain and America – he is finally able to participate and wins in the second round with 60% of the vote.
In the early hours of Monday, January 15, he was finally sworn in after hours of delay due to attempts by deputies to prevent him from assuming the presidency.
The forces opposed to freedom, democracy and the rule of law, who want to prevent the fight against corruption, are strong and will continue to harass President Bernardo Arévalo.
The governments, international organizations and people of America must continue to support liberal democracy in Guatemala. It is a fight for Guatemala, and it is also a fight for the freedom and dignity of people and for democracy and the rule of law in America.
