Foreign Ministers and high-level delegates came to Guatemala City for the inauguration of President-elect Bernardo Arevalo and Vice President-elect Karin Herrera.
Given the delay in the time set for the swearing-in due to obstacles in the Congress of the Republic to agree on a board of directors, the foreign ministers, called to an emergency meeting, adopted a declaration calling to respect the constitutional mandate and to carry out the swearing-in of the president-elect on January 14, as scheduled.
The signatories, including the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro; the High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, and the Ibero-American Secretary General, Andrés Allamand, reiterated their support for democracy in Guatemala, highlighting the fair, free and transparent nature of the elections held in August last year and endorsed by international observers.
Representing the DR was Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez, who played an active role in convening this meeting and in drafting a joint declaration of support for Guatemalan democracy.
This meeting and declaration represent a solid commitment to democratic principles in the region and a call to all parties involved to work together for their preservation.
Statement in support of President Bernardo Arévalo and democracy in Guatemala
Gathered in Guatemala City for the presidential inauguration, we call on the Congress of the Republic to fulfill its constitutional mandate to hand over power as required by the Constitution today to President-elect Bernardo Arévalo and Vice President-elect Karin Herrera.
The Guatemalan people expressed their democratic will in fair, free and transparent elections, endorsed by the international community through its electoral observation missions. That will must be respected.
On behalf of all the delegations invited and represented here at the level of heads of state and government, foreign ministers and high-level officials, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), the High Representative of the European Union and the Ibero-American Secretary General.
Source: Presidencia.gob.do
