Threats of further U.S. sanctions against Guatemala are unlikely to sway the country's political elite from potential efforts to challenge the results of the presidential election, creating risks of unrest, compliance challenges and potential political instability. While visiting Guatemala on Oct. 24, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols said the United States could impose sector-based sanctions against Guatemala over the country's democratic backsliding. The statement referred to ongoing legal actions by the Attorney General's office targeting President-elect Bernardo Arevalo and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) since Arevalo's victory in the Aug. 20 presidential runoff election. Attorney General Consuelo Porras' office has conducted repeated raids against the TSE and launched investigations into Arevalo and his Seed Movement party, which critics allege are part of broader efforts to invalidate the results of the presidential election and prevent Arevalo from taking office on Jan. 14, 2024. Nichols...
