Guatemala’s Bernardo Arévalo sworn in as president after Congress opponents delay inauguration
- Bernardo Arévalo takes oath of office after inauguration ceremony was delayed for more than nine hours
- Chaotic day capped months of judicial machinations to block the anti-corruption crusader from taking office
Anti-corruption crusader Bernardo Arévalo was sworn in as Guatemala’s president in the early hours of Monday after a chaotic inauguration that was delayed for hours by a last-ditch attempt by Congress opponents to weaken his authority.
The latest in a series of legislative setbacks triggered by opponents underscored the challenges Arévalo faces as leader of Central America’s most populous nation, to which he has pledged to bring sweeping reforms and tackle the rising cost of living and violence, key drivers of migration to the United States.
Giammattei skipped the ceremony.
Earlier, Arévalo had urged his supporters to throng the capital’s emblematic Plaza de la Constitucion to “celebrate the new spring in Guatemala”.
Arevalo’s unexpected election victory was seen as a watershed moment for Guatemala, where the 65-year-old has cast himself as a democracy advocate and the leader of a progressive movement bent on reshaping a political landscape long dominated by conservative parties.
