Bernardo Arévalo
Official portrait, 2020
President-elect of Guatemala
Assuming office
14 January 2024
Vice PresidentKarin Herrera (elect)
SucceedingAlejandro Giammattei
Member of the Congress of Guatemala
Assumed office
14 January 2020
ConstituencyNational List
Guatemalan Ambassador to Spain
In office
1995–1996
PresidentRamiro de León Carpio
Personal details
Born
César Bernardo Arévalo de León

(1958-10-07) 7 October 1958
Montevideo, Uruguay
NationalityGuatemalan
Political partyMovimiento Semilla[1]
SpouseLucrecia Peinado
Children6 (3 stepchildren)
Parent
Alma mater
Occupation
  • Politician
  • diplomat
  • sociologist
  • author
Signature
WebsiteCampaign website

César Bernardo Arévalo de León ([beɾˈnaɾ.ðo aˈɾe.βa.lo]; born 7 October 1958 in Montevideo)[3] is a Guatemalan diplomat, sociologist, writer, and politician who is the president-elect of Guatemala. He defeated former First Lady Sandra Torres in the second round of the 2023 presidential election on 20 August 2023 and will be inaugurated as the 52nd president on 14 January 2024.[4]

Arévalo is the son of former Guatemalan president Juan José Arévalo. A member and co-founder of the political party Semilla, he has served as a deputy in the Congress of Guatemala since January 2020. He previously served as Ambassador to Spain from 1995 to 1996 and as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1994 to 1995.[2]

Arévalo's electoral triumph makes him the first son of a former Guatemalan president to be elected president, the second president not to be born in Guatemalan territory, and Guatemala's most voted-for candidate in the 21st century, surpassing former president Jimmy Morales (2016–2020).[5][6] Karin Herrera is his vice-president-elect.

Early life and education

Arévalo was born on 7 October 1958 in Montevideo, Uruguay, the son of Juan José Arévalo, the former President of Guatemala between 1945 and 1951, and his second wife, Margarita de León. At the time of Arévalo's birth, his father was living in political exile in South America following the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état.[7]

Arévalo's family left Uruguay when he was less than two years old, and he spent parts of his childhood living in Venezuela, Mexico, and Chile. He went to Guatemala for the first time at the age of 15 to study at the Liceo Guatemala, a private Catholic school in Guatemala City.[7]

Arévalo subsequently graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel with a bachelor's degree in sociology obtaining a doctorate in philosophy and social anthropology from Utrecht University in the Netherlands.[2]

Diplomatic career

Arévalo joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the 1980s as a diplomat. Between 1984 and 1986, he was the first secretary and consul at the Guatemalan embassy in Israel and subsequently acted as minister counselor from 1987 to 1988.[7]

In 1988, Arévalo returned to Guatemala, where he was appointed deputy director of strategic studies and planning, again within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He went on to serve as director of bilateral foreign policy from 1990 to 1991, international bilateral relations from 1992 to 1993, and international economic and multilateral relations from 1993 to 1994.[7]

In 1994, President Ramiro de León Carpio appointed Arévalo Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, a role Arévalo held until 1995.[2] During his time as deputy minister, Ernesto Zedillo, the President of Mexico, decorated Arévalo with the Order of the Aztec Eagle in 1995.[8]

In 1995, Foreign Minister Alejandro Maldonado appointed Arévalo as Guatemala's ambassador to Spain; that same year, he presented his credentials to King Juan Carlos I. In 1996, Arévalo left his position as ambassador as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[7]

Professional career

After leaving his career as a diplomat, Arévalo served on the Center for Mesoamerican Regional Research (CIRMA) board and acted as its president. From 1999, Arévalo held various roles at Interpeace, including advising on peacebuilding and conflict resolution in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.[7][9]

In addition to his peacekeeping work, Arévalo also worked as an advisor to organizations, including the United Nations, the United States Institute of Peace, and the University of San Diego. He has written books and articles on history, politics, sociology, and diplomacy.[7]

Political career

In 2015, Arévalo took part in the 2015 Guatemalan protests demanding the resignation of President Otto Pérez Molina. Shortly after the demonstrations, Arévalo was among a group of intellectuals who formed Semilla, a think tank that subsequently was developed into the political party Movimiento Semilla in 2017.[10]

Arévalo was announced as the preferred candidate for Semilla for the 2019 presidential election but ultimately declined the candidacy. He was succeeded by Thelma Aldana, who was eventually prohibited from running.[11] Arévalo instead ran as a candidate for Congress on the national list and was elected as a congressman, taking office on 14 January 2020. As a congressman, he served on several committees on foreign affairs, governance, human rights, national security, and national defense. He also led the Semilla parliamentary bloc between 2020 and 2022.[3]

In 2022, he was elected as the general secretary of Semilla, succeeding Samuel Pérez Álvarez.[12]

2023 presidential campaign

President-elect Bernardo Arevalo (left) and outgoing president Alejandro Giammattei meet in the presidential residency as part of the presidential transition, September 2023.

On 22 January 2023, Arévalo was announced as the presidential candidate for Semilla for the 2023 election, running alongside Karin Herrera as his vice-presidential running mate.[13] He was officially registered by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on 16 February 2023. During his campaign, his supporters referred to him as Tío Bernie (transl. Uncle Bernie) in reference to both his name and his similarity to American politician and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.[14]

Arévalo's campaigning has focused on addressing state corruption and insecurity in Guatemala, as well as generating employment opportunities and promoting climate change policies.[15]

Initial polling by Prensa Libre in April 2023 showed Arévalo ranked next to last among the candidates, with 0.7% of people polled stating their intention to vote for him.[16] Subsequent polls showed support for Arévalo hovering around 2% in June and May 2023.[17][18]

During the first round of the 2023 election, Arévalo placed second among candidates with over 600,000 votes and was placed in the second-round run-off with Sandra Torres, a former first lady of Guatemala and candidate of the National Unity of Hope party.[19] Arévalo placing second was described as a "surprise" by El País and BBC News.[20][21] Semilla also received a large share of the votes, positioning it as the third largest party in the Congress of Guatemala, the Central American Parliament, and the Guatemala City municipal government.[20]

The certification of the results was delayed due to a controversial appeal granted by the Constitutional Court to nine right-wing parties, including the ruling party, Vamos. These parties challenged the result, alleging "irregularities" and "electoral fraud" in favor of Arévalo, and went as far as to request a new election be held.[22][23] The Court ordered a new review of the contested results, which was carried out during the first week of July. The new review found no significant changes in the preliminary results.[24] Subsequently, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal made by the parties and authorized the Supreme Electoral Court to formalize the election results.[25]

On 12 July 2023, the TSE formalized the election results; at the same time, prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche of the Public Prosecution Service announced, at the request of Judge Fedy Orellana, the suspension of Semilla due to allegations of falsifying signatures to establish the party in 2017. Arévalo, in a CNN interview, stated that he would challenge the suspension, claiming that the court had "no legal substance" to make the order.[26] Similarly, legal experts affirmed that Orellana did not act in accordance with the country's election laws.[27][28]

On 13 July 2023, the Constitutional Court, the highest court for constitutional law, reversed Semilla's suspension, allowing the second round of the presidential election to proceed.[29] Nevertheless, demonstrations were organized calling for the resignation of Attorney General María Consuelo Porras, prosecutor Curruchiche, and Judge Orellana.[30] Arévalo and his vice presidential candidate, Karin Herrera, were present at the demonstration and filed a criminal complaint against Curruchiche and Orellana.[31]

Members of the United States Congress called on Joe Biden to impose sanctions on those responsible for "threatening democracy" in Guatemala and expressed concerns about actions being taken against Arévalo's candidacy.[32] Twenty former leaders from Latin America and Spain issued a joint statement condemning attempts made to disqualify Arévalo from the election, and compared it to the recent disqualification of Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.[33][34]

On 29 November, Arévalo renounced his affiliation with Semilla and stepped down as the party's Secretary-General. His resignation was in accordance with the Electoral and Political Party Act, which restricts a political party's Secretary-General from presiding over the executive branch.[35]

On 08 January, Arévalo and Vice President-elect Herrera held a press conference at the Centro Cultural Miguel Ángel Asturias to present the individuals who will serve as the Ministers in Arévalo's government.[36]

Political positions

Arévalo claims the political legacy of his father, Juan José Arévalo, and former president Jacobo Árbenz. He has described himself as a "social democrat" and favors a republican and democratic system. He believes in a state that guarantees social justice and private property and expresses an interest in establishing a new fiscal pact and strengthening social security.[37]

Education

One of Arévalo's campaign pledges is to adopt a "radically different" public education system. He aims to address the poor conditions found in primary and secondary schools by investing Q110 billion, which would go towards creating 70,000 new classrooms, 29.5 million textbooks, 36,000 new restrooms for faculty and students, and monthly scholarships of Q3,600 for students.[38]

Health

Arévalo favors universal healthcare. He proposes a Q61 billion government budget to cover 7 million people by building 400 new health posts and 50 health centers for regions of more than 15,000 residents and isolated rural areas.[38]

Arévalo also commits to the construction of a public hospital that specializes in cancer treatment.[38]

Foreign policy

Arévalo is in favor of improving trade relations with China[39] but also desires to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan. On 20 July, in an interview with República, he reassured his interest in building a relationship with China based on "developing and expanding" economic relations.[40]

Arévalo has condemned the government of Nicaragua[41] and has described the governments of Nicaragua and Venezuela as "dictatorial systems."[37] In March 2022, Arévalo was the rapporteur of a legislative proposal that sought to urge President Alejandro Giammattei to take action against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. The proposal included the cancellation of the mining license of the Compañía Guatemalteca de Níquel, a nickel-mining company that is owned by the Russian company Solway Investment Group. In addition, the legislation called for the cancellation of the contract with the Russian government regarding the Sputnik V vaccines.[42]

Personal life

Arévalo has been married three times. In 1983, he married Argentine citizen Teresa Lapín Ganman; they divorced in 1992. The following year, Arévalo married Eva Rivara Figueroa a fellow diplomat, with whom he had two daughters. Since 2011, Arévalo has been married to Lucrecia Peinado.[43] He has three daughters and 3 stepchildren.[44]

In addition to his native Spanish, Arévalo speaks English, Hebrew, French, and Portuguese.[2]

Honors

References

  1. ↑ "Comité Ejecutivo Nacional". Movimiento Semilla. 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bernardo Arevalo de León" (PDF). International Peacebuilding Advisory Team. 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  3. 1 2 "César Bernardo Arévalo De León". Congress of Guatemala. 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  4. ↑ "Progressive Arévalo is 'virtual winner' of Guatemala election after corruption angered voters". AP News. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Juan José y Bernardo Arévalo, primeros padre e hijo en ser Presidentes de Guatemala". www.soy502.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "Bernardo Arévalo se convierte en el candidato más votado de Guatemala". www.soy502.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Actas del Encuentro: Juan José Arévalo" (PDF). Rafael Landívar University. 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  8. 1 2 "Diario Oficial de la Federación". Secretariat of the Interior, Mexico. 1999. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  9. ↑ Boche Ventura, Evelyn; Arroyo, Lorena (26 June 2023). "Bernardo Arévalo, el candidato que rompe el tablero tradicional en Guatemala". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  10. ↑ Pradilla, Alberto (7 May 2018). "Cómo pasó Semilla de grupo de análisis a querer competir en las elecciones". Plaza Pública (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "Thelma Aldana: la Corte Constitucional de Guatemala rechaza la candidatura presidencial de la exfiscal". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). 16 May 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  12. ↑ Kestler, Carlos (29 May 2022). "Diputado Bernardo Arévalo asume como nuevo secretario general del Movimiento Semilla". Prensa Libre (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  13. ↑ Montenegro, Henry; Ola, Ana Lucía (22 January 2023). "El binomio presidencial del partido Movimiento Semilla es Bernardo Arévalo y Karin Herrera". Prensa Libre (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  14. ↑ Móvil, José Carlos (26 June 2023). "Bernardo Arévalo, el hombre con el que nadie contaba en las elecciones de Guatemala". Swissinfo (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  15. ↑ "Elecciones Guatemala: ex primera dama Sandra Torres y diplomático Bernardo Arévalo irán a segunda vuelta en agosto". Voz de América (in Spanish). 26 June 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  16. ↑ Morales, Sergio (2 May 2023). "Encuesta elecciones Guatemala 2023: Carlos Pineda y Sandra Torres lideran intención de voto entre candidatos presidenciales". Prensa Libre (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  17. ↑ Bin, Henry (24 May 2023). "#NuevaEncuesta: sin Pineda en la papeleta, Mulet gana más votos que las candidatas de la UNE y VALOR". Con Criterio (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  18. ↑ Contreras Corzantes, Geovanni (22 June 2023). "Torres, Mulet y Ríos son los candidatos presidenciales que acaparan la intención de voto, según la Encuesta Libre 2023 (y estos son los resultados)". Prensa Libre (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  19. ↑ González Díaz, Marcos (26 June 2023). "Quiénes son Sandra Torres y Bernardo Arévalo, la eterna candidata y el aspirante sorpresa que se disputarán la presidencia de Guatemala". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  20. 1 2 "Quiénes son Sandra Torres y Bernardo Arévalo, la eterna candidata y el aspirante sorpresa que se disputarán la presidencia de Guatemala". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  21. ↑ "Sorpresa en Guatemala". El País (in Spanish). 27 June 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  22. ↑ "Guatemala's high court steps into election, suspends release of official results". AP News. 2 July 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  23. ↑ Zuzunaga Ruiz, Roger (5 July 2023). "Por qué la Corte de Constitucionalidad de Guatemala ordenó no oficializar los resultados de las elecciones". El Comercio (in Spanish). ISSN 1605-3052. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  24. ↑ "Guatemala: cotejo del 93% no arroja cambios en la votación – DW – 07/07/2023". dw.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  25. ↑ "TSE oficializa que Sandra Torres y Bernardo Arévalo disputarán la Presidencia en segunda vuelta y dice desconocer alcance de orden judicial" (in Spanish). 12 July 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  26. ↑ Menchu, Sofia (13 July 2023). "Fears for Guatemala's democracy after court excludes a top party from election". Reuters. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  27. ↑ "Juzgado ordena la suspensión de la personalidad jurídica del Movimiento Semilla" (in Spanish). 12 July 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  28. ↑ "Inhabilitación de un partido político es una decisión que no corresponde a un juzgado, afirman expertos en derecho" (in Spanish). 13 July 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  29. ↑ Menchu, Sofia (13 July 2023). "Guatemala top court reverses ban on anti-graft presidential candidate". Reuters. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  30. ↑ Tzoc, Hedy Quino (16 July 2023). "Continúan manifestaciones ciudadanas frente al MP; exigen la renuncia de Porras y Curruchiche". La Hora (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  31. ↑ "Movimiento Semilla denuncia a juez y a fiscal del MP que gestionan suspensión del partido político" (in Spanish). 13 July 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  32. ↑ "Congresistas estadounidenses piden sancionar a responsables de Guatemala por "amenazas a la democracia"". Europa Press (in Spanish). 15 July 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  33. ↑ Ola, Ana Lucía (16 July 2023). "Uribe, Calderón, Aznar y otros 20 expresidentes de España y América comparten su "grave preocupación" por crisis electoral en Guatemala". Prensa Libre (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  34. ↑ "Expresidentes condenan medidas inhabilitantes de candidatos en Guatemala y Argentina". Swissinfo (in Spanish). 17 July 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  35. ↑ "Bernardo Arévalo renuncia a la afiliación al partido Movimiento Semilla". www.soy502.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  36. ↑ "Gabinete de Bernardo Arévalo: Presidente electo presenta a los nuevos ministros de Guatemala" (in Spanish). 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  37. 1 2 Gonzalez, Luis (14 February 2023). "Bernardo Arévalo de Semilla dice cómo harán para formalizar a los que "comercian sin tributar"" [Bernardo Arévalo de Semilla says how he will formalise those who "trade without taxation"]. República.gt (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  38. 1 2 3 "[2023]Plan_de_Gobierno_Semilla.pdf". Google Docs. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  39. ↑ Garcia, Enrique (28 June 2023). "Guatemalan presidential contender pitches closer China ties". Reuters. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  40. ↑ González, Ana (20 July 2023). "Bernardo Arévalo del partido Semilla promoverá ley de inversiones para permitir empresas con capital público y privado". República.gt (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  41. ↑ Vílchez, Dánae (21 July 2023). "Guatemala election: Candidate's office raided after vow to curb corruption". openDemocracy. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  42. ↑ García, Manuel (16 March 2022). "Oficialismo protegió a Giammattei sobre petición de cancelar contrato minero y Sputnik V". La Hora (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  43. ↑ Garcia, Jovanna (17 August 2023). "Bernardo Arévalo, un hombre de consensos". No-Ficción (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  44. ↑ Mejia, Seline (25 June 2023). "El candidato Bernardo Arévalo ya emitió su voto". Soy 502 (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 August 2023.
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