Guatemala president says he won’t stay in power as courts continue to hold up election results

By SONIA PÉREZ D.
Associated Press

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — With tensions surrounding Guatemala’s June 25 election heightening, President Alejandro Giammattei has taken the unusual step of publishing an open letter saying he has no intention of staying in power beyond his term. Two weeks have passed since electoral officials identified two presidential candidates to face off in an Aug. 20 runoff. But the courts have intervened at the request of some political parties and blocked certification of the results. The delay has fed rumors that Giammattei might be looking to hold onto power because one of the candidates in the runoff has vowed to tackle corruption. Giammattei said Monday the runoff should go forward and he will leave office as scheduled on Jan. 14, 2024.