WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chair of the SFRC Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, issued the statement below following an in-person meeting with President-elect Bernardo Arévalo of Guatemala at the U.S. Capitol.
“It was a pleasure to meet President-elect Bernardo Arévalo of Guatemala today, and we congratulate him on his overwhelming victory in the runoff election on August 20. The partnership between the United States and Guatemala continues to be an enduring one, with important bilateral cooperation on security, prosperity, democratic governance, irregular migration and counternarcotics, as well as international solidarity with Ukraine and Taiwan.
“However, we are deeply concerned by recent attacks on Guatemala’s democracy and security since the election, including credible death threats against President-elect Arévalo, and actions by the Guatemala’s Attorney General to discredit the elections. We stand with President-elect Arévalo and the international community in calling for a peaceful transition of power, and we support his commitment to a strong anti-corruption platform. Together, we are dedicated to combatting corruption and human rights violations around the world, and will work with President-elect Arévalo’s Administration in support of the Guatemalan people’s demand for change.”
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