US bars ex-Guatemala president from entry

The United States government has barred former Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei from entering the US over allegations of his involvement in significant corruption."

Giammattei has been accused of supporting the attorney general who was at the forefront of a judicial campaign against the Central American country's new, anti-graft president, Bernardo Arevalo.

"The State Department has credible information indicating·that Giammattei accepted bribes in exchange for the performance of his public functions during his tenure as president of Guatemala, actions that undermined the rule of law and government transparency," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement on Wednesday.

Guatemala after Bernado Arevalo's election victory

Consuelo Porras —the attorney general under Giammattei's government— along with senior prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche and Judge Fredy Orellana spearheaded the efforts to block reformist Arevalo from taking office after he emerged victorious in last summer's general election.

On Monday, Arevalo was sworn in as Guatemala's president in the early hours after a turbulent inauguration that was held up for hours by a last-minute attempt by Congress opponents to weaken his authority.

Hundreds of Guatemalan officials and private citizens accused of undermining the country's democracy have been sanctioned by Washington.

Towards the start of Joe Biden's presidency, Vice President Kamala Harris had visited Guatemala and said that unchecked corruption was a factor behind Guatemalans emigrating.

dvv/rt (AFP, AP, Reuters)