Guatemalan Supreme Court Authorizes Lifting of President's Immunity

The Guatemalan Supreme Court of Justice has ruled to authorize congress to review lifting President Jimmy Morales' immunity so that he could be investigated for alleged illicit electoral financing.

RELATED:
Guatemala Begins Hearings to Withdraw President's Inmunity

The extraordinary session, the top court analyzed and evaluated the petition presented by the Public Ministry and the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala that claims that Morales' National Convergence Front party received and concealed funds during his 2015 election campaign.

In addition, the CSJ evaluated two more requests, which were denied, against the president, one for obstruction of justice and the other for abuse of authority, due to the president's decision to order the expulsion of the commissioner of the CICIG Ivan Velasquez.

Of the 158 congressional seats, 105 votes would be needed to lift the president's immunity, which would spark his forced resignation as he faces prosecution.

The Constitutional Court overruled the president’s decision declaring Velasquez "non-grata" last week, granting provisional protection to the investigator, who has worked for years as the head of the United Nations CICIG, the organization dedicated to investigating corruption cases in the Central American country.

Large demonstrations demanding Morales' resignation have taken place in the past weeks, with anger growing after Morales' attempt to squash the investigation.