Change of leadership in Argentina and Guatemala, how to cover Trump and more to stay up to date.
Latin America is experiencing a wave of political change. Argentina, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Paraguay have elected new presidents this year. Mexico, Venezuela, and El Salvador will do the same in 2024.
On Sunday, Javier Milei assumed the presidency of Argentina, saying: “Today we bury decades of failures, internal disputes, and senseless disputes.” Milei, a far-right candidate who won in the second round with promises to dollarize the economy, cut ministries, and privatize many sectors, also offered a message of unity: “We will welcome with open arms all those political, union, and business leaders who want to join the new Argentina.”
Arévalo ran on an anti-corruption platform and has recently faced a series of legal difficulties.
Simon Romero, a correspondent for The Times in Mexico and Central America, was recently in the country. There have been weeks of protests, battles in the courts, and the exodus of some anti-corruption prosecutors who have left Guatemala for fear of reprisals.
“I got the impression that Guatemala is on the brink of an explosion,” Simon told me by email yesterday. “And that’s what some of Arévalo’s supporters fear, that their opponents are pushing for a deeper crisis that would allow them to intervene in the transition and assert their own power.”
Simon and journalist Jody García interviewed Arévalo, experts, and citizens and wrote an article that helps understand why there is apprehension prior to the change of leadership, which is scheduled for January 14.
On Friday, the Public Ministry announced that, due to alleged irregularities, the presidential elections should be annulled. For its part, the Electoral Supreme Court reiterated that Arévalo must assume the presidency.
Yesterday, Jody told me that, for now, the atmosphere in Guatemala is nervousness combined with the usual hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
The streets of Guatemala City have been filled with decorations and Christmas sales. Amid the end-of-year spirit, the population lives in uncertainty about the future of democracy in the country. On social media, in the streets, in dining rooms, cafes, markets, and taxis, the topic of conversation is the attempts by the prosecution, Congress, and allies of Alejandro Giammattei’s government to prevent a peaceful transition of power. Tension will continue in the coming weeks as the date approaches for a new government to take office that has promised to fight corruption after more than two years of persecution against prosecutors, judges, and activists who investigated these crimes.
Do you live in Guatemala or are you from there? What are your expectations for the coming weeks? Participate in the comments.
“Artistic expression or apology for crime? The comments section has been active in recent days regarding the rise of “corridos tumbados,” a subgenre of Mexican regional music. Here we present a selection of opinions, slightly edited for clarity and space:
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“I’m Mexican. I’m too old to enjoy all those rhythms, but what I do know is that it is aberrant to see the idolatry and worship of drug trafficking, ill-gotten wealth, and glorified promiscuity. One thing is clear to me: these cultural aspects are a direct import from the US.” – Dinorah Costa, San Diego, California.
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“Thank you for making us aware of this phenomenon with deep social roots.” – Omer Vidal, Cali, Colombia.
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“I’m not a fan of corridos, but they reflect a reality. For society and the state, it is easy to evade the part of responsibility that corresponds to them for the climate of violence that has prevailed since the 1970s, while blaming others for failed policies or the lack thereof.” – Danilo Amilcar, Naucalpan, Mexico.
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“It is regrettable what is happening socially in countries like Colombia and Mexico, but it is only the product of deterioration, lack of governance, lack of opportunities for youth, very low quality of education, and above all, not having better role models to follow. Youth follow those who are in the public eye and Latin Americans only have drugs, easy and fast money, sex, and excessive luxuries resulting from the damage inflicted by bad governments, corruption, hunger, and loneliness.” – Elvira Montoya, Colombia.
– Patricia Nieto and Sabrina Duque produce and edit this newsletter.