Guatemala: Review Decision to Bar Presidential Candidates
February 27, 2023 9:00AM EST
Rulings Harm Election Credibility
(Washington, DC) - Guatemala’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal decision to bar candidates from running in the 2023 presidential elections on dubious grounds threatens political rights and damages the credibility of the electoral process, Human Rights Watch and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) said today.
In recent weeks, the electoral tribunal that oversees elections has effectively barred Thelma Cabrera, an indigenous left-wing leader, and Roberto Arzú, a right-wing candidate, from running for president.
“The decision to bar these candidates is based on dubious grounds and could undermine the rights of all Guatemalans to participate in free and fair elections,” said Ana María Méndez-Dardón, director for Central America at WOLA. “Guatemalan authorities should urgently review these decisions and ensure a fair playing field for all candidates.”
The electoral process is taking place in a context of deterioration of the rule of law, where the institutions charged with overseeing the elections have little independence or credibility, Human Rights Watch and WOLA said. Apparent efforts to bar opposition candidates or to initiate arbitrary criminal proceedings against them create an uneven playing field that could prevent the election from being free and fair.
More:
https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/02/27/guatemala-review-decision-bar-presidential-candidates
