A year ago, Bernardo Arévalo assumed the presidency of Guatemala with the promise of renewing public institutions, fighting corruption and boosting the economy of the Central American country.
However, political tensions, questions about his mandate and the lack of support in Congress have marked his first year in office, complicating progress on some of his most ambitious proposals.
Since coming to power, Arévalo has maintained a firm stance against corruption, pointing out the obstruction of the attorney general, Consuelo Porras as an obstacle to key investigations that could uncover corruption networks at the highest levels of government.
This confrontation with Porras, who has been sanctioned by the United States Department of State for obstructions in these anti-corruption processes, has exacerbated the political climate.
“One of the main obstacles to governance is the justice system, such as the Public Ministry, which has become a tool that undermines democracy,” he told the Voice of AmericaJuan Francisco Sandoval, who a few years ago was the head of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office in Guatemala, now in exile.
Arévalo has made some progress in the area of security, however: in 2024, Guatemala managed to reduce its homicide rate by 2.5%, although that has not been enough to reduce the perception of insecurity that prevails among the population.
“The country needs more security, it needs more stability so that the people of Guatemala can develop,” he commented to the VOA the Guatemalan Paul Rodas. Extortion, one of the most prevalent crimes, still reflects a worrying situation.
According to data from the Public Ministry, in 2024, more than 14,000 complaints of extortionexceeding the 2023 figures by 2,000.
The Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 gangs continue to control several regions of the country, extorting businesses, companies and transporters under threat of death.
“We know that, despite progress, the Guatemalan population continues to face harassment from criminal forces,” Arévalo acknowledged in a press conference on January 13, prior to presenting his report to Congress.
Another of the historical scourges in Guatemala is drug trafficking. According to the investigative portal Insight Crime, Guatemala is a crucial corridor for drug transit towards the United States, which attracts powerful criminal organizations.
On this front, the Arévalo administration has achieved improvements. In 2024, the Guatemalan government seized 18.2 tons of drugs, marking the second highest figure in the country’s history.
Furthermore, in response to the growing violence in prisons, Arévalo ordered the intervention of several prisons, a measure that seeks to dismantle the criminal networks that operate within prison facilities and that coordinate illicit activities, such as drug trafficking and extortion.
“The prisons were at the service of corrupt groups, such as gangs and drug traffickers. That is something that the government of (Alejandro) Giammattei (2020-2024) was not interested in changing, even though at the time he was an official in the penitentiary system” , added to the VOAthe Guatemalan Alsester González.
Despite these achievements in the field of security, the panorama remains complex. The lack of legislative support, internal political tensions and persistent insecurity are challenges that Arévalo will have to face in the coming years.
A government under pressure
Arévalo has faced strong resistance from key sectors, such as the Guatemalan Congress, dominated by traditional parties. His political organization, the Semilla Movement, does not have a majority in Congress, which has complicated the execution of several of his campaign proposals.
One of the most conflictive points has been the reform of the judicial system, with which Arévalo tried to increase the transparency of the courts.
However, their attempts were blocked by legislators, who argued that these reforms put the autonomy of judges and the balance of powers at risk.
In addition, the dismissal of Attorney General Consuelo Porras also remains stalled. Arévalo has tried to change, with the help of his party, the Public Ministry Law to allow him to dismiss the prosecutor, but his proposal has been rejected by sectors within Congress that have defended Porras’ permanence in his position.
This situation is especially relevant, since in 2021, The United States government sanctioned Porras for his alleged obstruction of anti-corruption investigations linked to powerful groups.
On the other hand, the national budget, proposed by Arévalo, initially encountered resistance, particularly in relation to funds allocated to social programs and well-being.
“The government started with a budget that limited its actions, but by 2025 it already has the budget as it should be, the largest, and we would expect efficiency in its execution,” added the exiled former head of Guatemala’s anti-corruption prosecutor’s office.
Economy, health and education
In his presidential campaign, Bernardo Arévalo included the increase in the minimum wage as one of his main proposals to improve working conditions in Guatemala.
In his first year in office, he increased it by 6.5%. It translates into an increase of $78, bringing the monthly salary to a maximum of $485.
For María Fernanda Bozmoski, director of impact and operations and leader for Central America at the Atlantic Council, Guatemala’s economy is one of the most resilient in Central America.
“From Washington we see that the economy remains extremely stable and resilient to internal and external factors. It is one of the most resilient economies in Central America and we have seen that growth has been sustained,” he said in a panel organized this month by the Atlantic Council.
Among the achievements presented by Arévalo, there is also the repair of 11,000 schools, a figure that he hopes to double by the end of 2025. In addition, he speaks of a 92% supply of medicine in public hospitals.
Challenges continue especially in the economic and infrastructure areas. “They have not paid much attention to the economic issue, such as rescuing jobs, seeking investment,” he explained to the VOA Francisco Quezada, researcher at the National Economic Research Center (CIEN). “At the end of the day, the only jobs that are being generated are those of private initiative. At the moment, the economy is not picking up,” he added.
Regarding infrastructure, the Ministry of Communications and Public Works has also faced blockages from builders and contractors after inheriting debts and unfinished works from the previous government. This is the only state portfolio that is without an owner.
The task of repairing roads and building new public infrastructure also remains pending.
[Con reportes de Eugenia Sagastume desde Guatemala]
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