Protests in Guatemala Continue for Ninth Consecutive Day

Protests and road blockades continue in Guatemala for the ninth consecutive day, with demonstrations over the removal of electoral material by the Public Prosecutor's Office.

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In the morning, at least 136 points were blocked in the country and in the capital more than 20 roads were reportedly closed. Protesters demand the resignation of the Attorney General and head of the Public Ministry, Consuelo Porras Argueta. 

Classes have been suspended and several companies, among them the multinationals McDonald's and Shell, have temporarily closed their operations.

The demonstrations began on October 2 when the indigenous organization 48 cantons of the department of Totonicapán (west) called for the dismissal of the Attorney General and to support democracy and the elected president Bernardo Arévalo de León.

The tweet reads, "Congresswoman Sonia Gutierrez and Congressman Adán Pérez Y Pérez filed a writ of amparo in the Constitutional Court of Guatemala so that the right to peaceful demonstration is not violated, since the declarations of President Alejandro Giammattei criminalize the protests demanding the resignation of Consuelo Porras."

The president of Guatemala, Alejandro Giammattei, said Monday night that his government will not tolerate any more blockades in the country's streets. 

In a message to the nation Giammattei said that authorities will prosecute those who participate in road blockades as these actions are "illegal." "As the highest representative of national unity I want to be emphatic, no act outside what is established by law will be tolerated anymore. The blockades are illegal," he said. 

"Violence and destruction are not viable paths for the welfare of our society, these acts affect the patrimony, work and livelihood of Guatemalan families. Let us reflect on these acts and seek ways to express our concerns in a truly peaceful and respectful manner," said the Guatemalan president.

The sectors supporting the elected president, Bernardo Arévalo, have considered the removal of the electoral material from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) as an attack to the electoral process and an attempt to prevent Arévalo from assuming the presidency of Guatemala on January 14.

In the last presidential elections, the candidate of the Seed Movement party, Arévalo de León, was elected. Since then, he has denounced on several occasions the constant raids on the TSE as part of a coup d'état plan that is being carried out against him through judicial actions implemented by the Public Prosecutor's Office.