The situation in Guatemala

Mr. Chair,

Mr. Secretary General,

Distinguished Representatives of the Member States and Observers of this Organization of American States, Mr. President-elect, ladies and gentlemen: we are grateful for the convening of this meeting and for the report presented by the Secretary General, which set the context for those present and informed us of his efforts. We greet Minister Búcaro. We take note of his remarks, for which we are grateful and which we value at so critical a juncture.

It is unavoidable to address the delicate situation unfolding in Guatemala. We support the General Secretariat acting as mediator, with the consent of all parties, and we trust that this process will strengthen the state of democracy, the rule of law and human rights. We are also grateful for the remarks of Mr. Bernardo Arévalo.

His effort does not go unnoticed, nor is it taken lightly; on the contrary, it is an encouraging sign that stirs optimism amid the uncertainty and the hints of volatility. Allow me now to refer to the communiqué issued on October 1 by Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and the Dominican Republic, member countries of the Alliance for Development in Democracy.

Our countries expressed, and I quote, “their deep concern at the repeated interventions of the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Guatemala, which directly undermine the independence of the branches of government and the clear will expressed at the polls by the citizens of that sister country. The raid and the seizure of electoral tally sheets… represent a new and unjustified attempt to question and delegitimize the democratic electoral process.”

Dear colleagues,

The tension and anger felt by a part of Guatemala do not appear to be a mere isolated episode of public discontent. This is a complex phenomenon, provoked in part by those recent judicial actions against President-elect Arévalo and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. Popular passions have been inflamed and a sense of urgency awakened in part of the citizenry, which is taking the form of public civic demonstrations.

The unwanted effects of these reactions by citizens have not been long in coming, for as Foreign Minister Búcaro pointed out with heartfelt and valid concern, protests that block public roads hinder the movement of people and goods (especially food and medicine). Even the normal operation of air transport could be in danger for lack of fuel supply.

Mr. Chair,

It has been said that the right to demonstrate is a fundamental pillar of any democratic society, and we could not agree more. But that is precisely where the paradox lies. While protests are criminalized and emphasis is placed on the supposed danger they pose to freedom of movement, a great silence hangs in the air about other matters of vital importance, such as the attempts to subvert the will of the people, or the other issues mentioned by the Secretary General in his remarks.

This selectivity in applying the law and in defending rights not only undermines the integrity of the legal system; it can also delegitimize institutions. And this is not simply an isolated judicial or political dispute. What we are witnessing is a dangerous increase in social polarization.

In this scenario, it is imperative that we, as an international community, promote a climate of inclusive dialogue and institutional openness. Allow me now to reflect on a notion that is often held up as a shield against international criticism: sovereignty and the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of a sovereign State.

While it is true that these principles are fundamental to the international order and to peace among nations, it is crucial to understand that they cannot be invoked indiscriminately. Sovereignty cannot and must not become a refuge for States that fail to honor their international commitments and the democratic principles that we have all agreed to promote and protect.

This, far from being a violation of sovereignty, is an expression of the collective responsibility we share in safeguarding the values and principles that sustain our free societies. We are not here to tell sovereign States how they should conduct their internal affairs. But when commitments are broken, the international community, including the member States of this Organization, has the responsibility, and I would venture to say the duty, to speak out.

It is at moments such as these that silence is complicity and dialogue becomes imperative. Mr. Chair, the voices of the people must be heard, not silenced; respected, not repressed. Peaceful protest is a fundamental human right and a pillar of any democratic society. It is therefore unacceptable for this right to be threatened or curtailed.

In this context, the precious legacy of Maya civilization reminds us that time is cyclical, that actions have consequences, and that stability requires a firm commitment to the principles and processes that govern us. To conclude, we call on all not to forget the importance of balance in a world that swings dangerously between extremes.

Just as the Maya understood the interconnection of darkness and light, of day and night, the leaders of Guatemala today have the challenge and the honor of uniting a country, of being the light in the shadow, the bridge over troubled waters. We urge Guatemala to keep alive the Maya mastery of weaving networks of alliance and collaboration.

And when the day comes when all this has passed, may the learning and the maturity resound like the echoes in the great pyramids of Tikal, transcendent and enduring. May the story be one that is told with tears of gratitude, not of suffering, and with smiles of admiration, not with the gnashing of teeth: an epic in the constellation of Guatemala's national destiny.

In the twilight of our meeting, we call for these ancestral principles and values to be the compass by which we all navigate, and the wind that lifts our wings. In that spirit, we offer our deepest wishes that this process may be the seed of a new dawn in which all may find light in Guatemala.

Thank you very much.