The Archbishop of Guatemala, Monsignor Gonzalo de Villa, assured this Monday that Bernardo Arévalo, who was inaugurated this morning as the new president, represents hope for the country.
The head of the Guatemalan Catholic Church stated that Arévalo has the challenge of getting out of a long history in which the political class ““It has not been up to the standards of the people.” from Guatemala.
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#EnDirecto | The president of the Republic @BArevalodeLeon and the vice president @KarinHerreraVP They participate in the Solemn Te Deum.
— Government of Guatemala (@GuatemalaGob) January 15, 2024
“There is a wait for the people of Guatemala and it is the challenge for the president”emphasized the religious, who led the solemn ceremony of the tedeum in the Metropolitan Cathedral.
De Villa pointed out that it is the first time that this religious act is celebrated on the same day as a president’s inauguration, because the investiture was scheduled for Sunday, but the outgoing Congress was delayed 12 hours in the session of the command transmission.
This, said De Villa, coincides with the Lord’s Day of Esquipulas, which has been celebrated this Monday for more than 400 years.
“The challenge of starting a new Government and a new Congress is a reason for hope”, the archbishop emphasized in his Eucharist. The prelate asked God to enlighten the new authorities who assumed office for a period of four years.
The religious activity was also attended by, in addition to the president, the vice president, Karin Herrera, and the Government Cabinet recently appointed and sworn in by the president.
In his first message to the nation after his inauguration, Arévalo pledged to eliminate authoritarianism, corruption and impunity in the Central American country.
The 65-year-old academic won the 2023 elections with an anti-corruption speech led by his party, the Seed Movement.
