The Special Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) for the Strengthening of Democratic Institutions in Guatemala began its work on Monday, holding an initial meeting with the President of the Republic, Bernardo Arévalo, and his Cabinet.
During the meeting, the Chief and members of the Mission discussed the current situation in the country and the democratic challenges it faces, ahead of the upcoming second-level election processes that will soon begin in Guatemala.
The Mission also held meetings with the President of the Congress of the Republic, the President of the Supreme Court of Justice and members of the full bench, as well as with the President of the Constitutional Court and its members.
The Mission emphasized the importance of ensuring that all constitutional deadlines are respected and observed throughout this process, and that the evaluation methodology for candidates be made public, in a manner that guarantees transparency and adherence to the law. The Mission also called for respect for the nomination process, allowing candidates to present their nominations without interference from external actors or intimidation.
The Mission urged the participation of women and representatives of ancestral groups in presenting candidacies for the various positions subject to second-level elections. It also encouraged civil society organizations to fulfill their role of monitoring and following up on these elections as they begin.
The Mission was established at the invitation of the Government of Guatemala, within the framework of OAS General Assembly Resolution OEA/AG/RES.2766 (XLIII-O/13), Promotion and Strengthening of Democracy, in order to follow up on the selection processes for Magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, Magistrates of the Constitutional Court, the Attorney General, and the Comptroller General of Accounts.
The Mission is composed of experts María Paulina Aguirre Suárez, Marcela Ríos Tobar, and Carlos Ayala Corao.
Reference: E-072/25
