Guatemala president slams U.S. action after new visa curbs announced

UN Security Council meets about Ukraine at UN HQ in New York

Guatemala’s President Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla, addresses a ministerial level meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the crisis in Ukraine at U.N. headquarters in New York, September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/ File Photo

Source: X90143

Guatemala's outgoing President Alejandro Giammattei on Tuesday rejected what he described as "intimidating actions" that undercut national sovereignty, a day after the U.S. government announced new visa restrictions on 300 Guatemalan nationals.

On Monday, the U.S. government announced measures to punish what it has described as anti-democratic moves by officials, including Guatemala's top prosecutor, that seek to annul the election won decisively by President-elect Bernardo Arevalo nearly four months ago.

In a statement, Giammattei denounced "media and political manipulation" by some members of the U.S. government directed against Guatemala, but did not single out any officials.

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He also reiterated his pledge for an orderly transition of power with the presidential inauguration scheduled for January.

The latest measures imposed by Washington include visa restrictions on nearly 300 Guatemalan nationals, including 100 lawmakers out of the 160-member unicameral Congress, accused of undermining democracy in Central America's most populous country.

The travel restrictions also target some private sector representatives and their family members.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters