UN slams Guatemala poll meddling as president-elect faces fresh challenge

The UN human rights chief has deplored "persistent and systematic" attempts to undermine the outcome of Guatemala's elections and called for the will of voters to be upheld.

Anti-graft candidate and president-elect Bernardo Arevalo — who is slated to assume office on January 14 — has faced an onslaught of legal challenges since his surprise second-round election victory in August, including attempts to suspend his Semilla party and stop him from taking power.

On Friday, prosecutor Leonor Morales said investigations have concluded that the election of political outsider Arevalo, his vice-president and parliamentarians was "null and void" due to counting "anomalies" in the first round in June.

Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, on Saturday, voiced alarm about "persistent and systematic attempts by the attorney general's office in Guatemala to undercut the general election results, in full disregard of the voters' will".

"Friday's announcements, aimed at nullifying the outcome of the general elections and questioning the constitution and existence of the Movimiento Semilla party are extremely disturbing," Turk said in a statement.

Judicial harassment and intimidation against electoral officers and elected officials is unacceptable, he stressed.

"It is critical to safeguard democracy"

Arevalo's triumph and his pledge to fight graft are widely seen in Guatemala as alarming to the establishment's political elite.

After the prosecutor's office sought to annul the election results amid accusations of an "attempted coup", Guatemala's electoral court on Friday insisted the results were "unchangeable".

"It is encouraging that, despite the long list of judicial and political actions taken by some authorities, which clearly undermine the integrity of the electoral process and breach the rule of law and democracy, people have been standing up for their rights and have been opposing what they perceive as a theft of their political will," said Turk.

He urged the Guatemalan authorities to preserve and respect all human rights, including freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly at all times.

"I once again call on the competent authorities, including the current president, as well as the judiciary, to take action to preserve the rule of law and ensure respect of the electoral outcome, and thus the will of the majority of the Guatemalan people," Turk said.

"It is critical to safeguard democracy and respect for human rights."