On 8 January Guatemala’s president-elect Bernardo Arévalo unveiled his cabinet picks.
Analysis:
Fears that reformist outsider Arévalo, who won the 20 August run-off on an anti-corruption pledge and has faced multiple challenges from the discredited attorney general’s (AG) office, would be prevented from taking office have dampened since a constitutional court ruling last month guaranteeing the transition of power on 14 January. For the first time in Guatemala’s history, the 14-member cabinet reflects gender parity. Arévalo’s choices, which include figures from outside of his left-of-centre Movimiento Semilla (Semilla) party, reflect an awareness of the need for consensus and the huge challenges he will face given a hostile legislature and other institutions afflicted by endemic corruption.
- Key picks include Francisco Jiménez, who will reprise his former role as interior minister (2008-2009) which he held under the late president Alvaro Colom (2008-2012) of the Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza (UNE).
- Foreign affairs went to Carlos Martínez, a career diplomat who served as deputy foreign minister under outgoing president Alejandro Giammattei, as well as under former presidents Ramiro de León Carpio (1993-1996), Óscar Berger (2004-2008), and Jimmy Morales (2016-2020), and former interim president Alejandro Maldonado (2015-2016)
- One figure associated with the powerful economic elite is incoming minister of communications, infrastructure & housing (CIV), Jazmín de la Vega, a former national deputy (1996-1998), who served in the unit for construction of state buildings (UCEE) under Berger, and reportedly has close links to the country’s leading private sector lobby, Cacif, and national chamber of construction (CGC).
- Others closely associated with Semilla have received posts: finance went to Jonathan Menkos, former director of local think-tank Instituto Centroamericano de Estudios Fiscales (Icefi), a core member of Semilla’s team, who was elected national deputy and must seek permission to leave the congressional post.
- One of Semilla’s founders, Anabella Giracca will pick up education, while social development went to Semilla’s general secretary, Abelardo Pinto, and agriculture to former Semilla mayoral candidate for Antigua (Sacatepéquez department), Maynor Estrada.
- Other future ministers are: Gabriela García-Quinn (economy), María José Iturbide (environment), Óscar Cordón (health), Brigadier General Henry David Sáenz (defence), Miriam Roquel (labour), Anayté Guardado (energy & mining) and Liwy Grazioso (culture & sport).
Looking Ahead: So far over ten heads of state have confirmed their attendance at the inauguration ceremony, which Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General Luis Almagro, who has been overseeing the transition, will also attend.