Taipei, July 25 (CNA) Taiwan on Tuesday urged its diplomatic ally Guatemala to ensure that the ongoing controversy surrounding its upcoming presidential runoff election is resolved through democratic processes.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is aware of international concerns regarding Guatemala’s [Aug. 20] election … and expects that all sides will resolve their disputes via democratic processes and the rule of law,” Cheng Li-cheng (鄭力城), head of MOFA’s Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, said at a press briefing.
Cheng reiterated that Taiwan respects the integrity of Guatemala’s institutions, the will of its people and any election results produced through democratic processes.
MOFA will be closely following developments in the election and regardless of which candidate wins, will continue working with Guatemala’s government to deepen bilateral exchanges, he said.
Taiwan’s statement came in response to the political turmoil that has gripped Guatemala following the first round of voting in its 2023 presidential election on June 25, in which reformist candidate Bernardo Arévalo secured a surprise second place finish and qualified for the Aug. 20 runoff against former First Lady Sandra Torres.
The candidate from the party of Guatemala’s outgoing president, Alejandro Giammattei, finished third and failed to make the runoff.
Following the first round result, a Guatemalan court on July 12 announced the suspension of Arévalo’s Semilla party over allegations of falsifying signatures, though the country’s Constitutional Court reversed the decision the following day.
Last Friday, police acting on a court order searched the Semilla party’s offices, in a move Arévalo slammed as “political persecution” and intimidation by “a corrupt minority” that is on its way to losing power.
After the raid, senior U.S. State Department official Brian Nichols said he had spoken with Guatemalan Foreign Minister Mario Bucaro to stress the need to hold a free and fair election, without interference or harassment of any candidates or their parties.
Guatemala is one of Taiwan’s 13 remaining diplomatic allies, and the two countries have enjoyed stable ties under Giammattei’s incumbent conservative government.
Of the two candidates competing in the runoff, Torres, a centrist, has said she would look to bolster ties with Taiwan, while Arévalo has said he would pursue closer ties with China.
