Guatemalan Presidential Contender Torres Visits Washington Forward of August Run-Off

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) – Guatemalan presidential candidate Sandra Torres will meet with U.S. officers in Washington on Thursday, her get together mentioned, forward of a run-off vote subsequent month that has raised worldwide issues over alleged interference by authorities.

Torres’ Nationwide Unity of Hope (UNE) get together mentioned the previous first woman of Guatemala is slated to debate migration, commerce and safety with U.S. State Division representatives.

The State Division didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon the assembly with Torres, who got here in first in an preliminary spherical of voting final month.

She can even meet with enterprise leaders and current marketing campaign proposals throughout a dialog with the Atlantic Council suppose tank that will likely be streamed on-line.

Torres’ rival, Bernardo Arevalo of the Semilla get together, who completed second within the vote, has not mentioned whether or not he additionally plans to go to Washington.

President Joe Biden’s administration has raised numerous issues over Guatemala’s election course of, together with criticizing raids by authorities final week of Semilla workplaces.

A senior Biden administration official beforehand mentioned the US deliberate to host Torres and Arevalo for talks in Washington this week to point out assist without spending a dime and truthful elections.

(Reporting by Sofia Menchu; Writing by Daina Beth Solomon; Enhancing by Mark Porter)

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