The 2023 elections marked a historic political shift. Bernardo Arévalo of the Semilla party won the presidential election on an anti-corruption and social reform platform. His victory was immediately contested by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and conservative elites yet upheld by the Constitutional Court. Arévalo took office in January 2024, signaling renewed hope for democratic renewal despite entrenched resistance.
Structural economic challenges persist. The government prioritized infrastructure and social programs to reduce poverty and support Indigenous communities, but progress in diversifying the economy and addressing inequality has been slow. Economic reforms remain constrained by entrenched interests and limited international cooperation.
Governance has been hampered by a divided Congress and legal obstruction from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, including multiple impeachment attempts. The suspension of Semilla’s legal status as a political party restricted legislative influence, but the administration achieved progress on the budget and infrastructure. Reduced foreign aid, including USAID’s withdrawal, limits the implementation of judicial and anti-corruption reforms.
