Guatemala - October 2025

On 29 October, the Constitutional Court overturned the ruling of a criminal judge, Fredy Orellana, who declared the registration of President Bernardo Arévalo’s Movimiento Semilla party null and void, and thus with no legal effect. The party had been previously suspended in 2023 due to alleged irregularities. The criminal judge’s resolution was widely perceived as a new attempt to delegitimize Arévalo’s 2023 election victory, as it would have rendered the party’s actions void (potentially including Arévalo’s nomination). The Constitutional Court unanimously overturned the ruling, warning Orellana that the Supreme Electoral Tribunal is exclusively competent over electoral matters. Along with Orellana’s decision, Arévalo has recently faced increasing pressure from Attorney General Consuelo Porras, including an attempt to impeach him and his Vice-President over the escape of 20 gang members from the Fraijanes II prison in August (but disclosed in October). Arévalo has lambasted these actions as an attempted ‘coup’. 

Sources: La Hora, Prensa Libre, Agencia Guatemalteca de Noticias, El Pais