Controversial Election Document Raid Reveals Shocking Incident: Officials Allege Police Brutality

A chaotic scene unfolded in Guatemala as police officers clashed with justices of the country’s top electoral tribunal, creating a spectacle of questionable voting practices. The incident occurred during a raid by prosecutors seeking to confiscate tally sheets of votes from the recent presidential elections held in August. Witnesses who were present during the raids claim there was no evidence of fraud, suggesting that this was an attempt to undermine the winning candidate, Bernardo Arévalo. One particularly gripping moment was captured when a 70-year-old justice, Maynor Franco, bravely held tight to a vote box while a much younger agent attempted to wrestle it away.

Amid the chaos, Justice Blanca Alfaro made a passionate plea to the police officers, urging them not to take the boxes as they represented the voice of the people. Unfortunately, her plea fell on deaf ears as she was shoved and momentarily fell to the floor. This recent episode was part of a series of raids conducted by Attorney General Consuelo Porras and prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche. International organizations, including the Organization of American States, have expressed their criticism, claiming that these actions are aimed at overturning or tarnishing the electoral results.

It is important to note that Consuelo Porras, who assumed the role of attorney general in 2018, has been sanctioned by the US government in 2021 for undemocratic behavior and impeding corruption investigations. Porras denies any wrongdoing and maintains ongoing investigations into the Seed Movement, the party of Bernardo Arévalo, questioning the legitimacy of their registration and allegations of fraud in the election. Independent observers, however, have stated that these claims are unsubstantiated. (Read more Guatemala stories.)