Ecuador and Guatemala: the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio and the report of the Secretary General

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

On behalf of the Government and people of the Dominican Republic, allow me to address you, first, to express our indignation and condemnation at the vile assassination of the Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. In these moments of mourning and reflection, we extend a fraternal hand of solidarity to the Government of the Republic of Ecuador and to its worthy people. Our deepest condolences go also to the family of Mr. Villavicencio, to his friends and collaborators and to the entire Ecuadorian people.

Mr. Chair, second, I wish to express our thanks for the presentation of the report on the visit to Guatemala delivered to us by the Secretary General.

Mr. Secretary General, your report reflects the complexity of the situation and the challenges that Guatemalan society faces today. I take this opportunity to recognize the valuable work carried out by your office and by the Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy.

We likewise appreciate the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, who is with us, and the assurances he has conveyed to this Permanent Council.

Dear colleagues, Guatemala stands at a crucial crossroads and faces a situation that concerns all of us, the nations that are friends of Guatemala. The Dominican Government already expressed its concern in a statement last month and, in this same forum, only a few weeks ago. The current situation, marked by judicial actions and maneuvers that, regrettably, strike at the electoral system as a whole, gives rise to concern and serious doubts, and therefore merits our attention.

Faced with this troubling scenario, the international community and, in particular, a group of states of this Permanent Council have taken a firm and resolute stance in defense of democratic values and principles. We respectfully call on all organs of the State and on social actors to refrain from undermining, intimidating or coercing the electoral authority, for that weakens its essential role as the governing body of democracy and will work to the detriment of all. This is a fundamental democratic principle that we must all respect and protect.

We look with sympathy on what the Secretary General has reported regarding the intention to continue working with the Guatemalan authorities by accompanying the transition process.

At this historic moment, we must all unite in the defense and preservation of democracy. The attention that the Organization of American States has been giving to this case is a clear expression of a resolute and renewed commitment of our hemisphere to democracy. The situation in Guatemala demands it, and we cannot remain indifferent.

Dear colleagues, to conclude, we wish to recall that democracy is not an inheritance to be taken for granted. It is a conquest that we must protect and preserve together at every moment. We remain confident that the will of the Guatemalan people will prevail on August 20.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.