In Guatemala, the political outsider who surprised all by winning the presidential election is finally sworn in, despite last minutes efforts to derail his inauguration by some in the political elite.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
In the early hours today, Guatemala’s new president was finally sworn into office. It was a moment that nearly didn’t happen. Despite winning the election by a landslide back in August, anticorruption campaigner Bernardo Arevalo faced months of opposition from political opponents, and those efforts to prevent the transfer of power continued right up until the last minute yesterday. NPR’s Eyder Peralta reports.
EYDER PERALTA, BYLINE: In Guatemala City, the morning started off hopeful. Big groups of indigenous people came into the city on buses. Across the boulevards musicians played on stages, and kids carried balloons. An inauguration felt inevitable.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: (Yelling in non-English language).
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Yelling in non-English language).
(CROSSTALK)
PERALTA: But the celebration came to an end first in Congress.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #3: (Non-English language spoken).
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #4: (Non-English language spoken).
PERALTA: The outgoing Congress chained doors and threw up parliamentary roadblocks to keep the new Congress from taking office. The young, idealistic people who had just won elections forced open the door and began shouting, respect the popular will.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #5: (Non-English language spoken).
PERALTA: In Guatemala City’s main plaza, that video ricocheted across cellphones, and indigenous authorities called for a march.
(SOUNDBITE OF DRUMS)
UNIDENTIFIED CROWD #1: (Chanting in non-English language).
PERALTA: The protesters rammed through a security perimeter.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #6: (Chanting in non-English language).
UNIDENTIFIED CROWD #1: (Chanting in…
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