From December 9 to 10, the US government will hold the first of two summits for democracy, in which heads of state, civil society and the private sector will almost certainly meet to discuss the challenges and threats to democracy. However, Guatemala’s participation in the event is uncertain.
According to an article by journalist Andres Oppenheimer Miami HeraldThere are eight countries not invited by the government of President Joe Biden, including Guatemala, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, El Salvador, Honduras and Haiti.
According to US officials, Argentina and Mexico appear to be guests, and Oppenheimer says they are “practical allies of the dictatorships of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.”
One of the issues to be discussed at the summit is public distrust and the inability of governments to achieve equal economic and political progress. Similarly, it will analyze how inequality and corruption undermine democracy with the advancement of dictatorial leaders who attack journalists and human rights defenders.
In Guatemala, some events of special interest to the international community take place ahead of the summit. These include the inclusion of Attorney General Consul Boras Angel (corrupt actors) and the harassment of journalists critical of the government and its allies in various government agencies, including the Ministry of Public Works.
“For the United States, the summit will provide an opportunity to hear, learn, and speak with a diverse cast of people who are essential to the global democratic renewal and commitment,” the State Department statement said.
For its part, the Presidential Secretariat for Social Relations said it had not received any official call from the Foreign Ministry, so they could not release any status.
