US Condemns Police Raid on Guatemalan Anti-Graft Party, Urges Fair Elections

The US and EU have condemned a police raid on the headquarters of Guatemalan presidential candidate Bernardo Arevalo's center-left Semilla party, just a month before the high-stakes run-off election. The raid was carried out based on a court order that had canceled the party's legal status. Arevalo called it a "corrupt" show of political persecution, while the US described it as "authoritarian practices" and a violation of democratic norms. The raid follows an investigation into alleged irregularities in the registration of Semilla members, which has been criticized as improper interference. The US and EU are closely monitoring the situation and will host talks with the candidates to show support for free and fair elections.