New leader in Guatemala after ‘customs scam’ President resigns

Guatemala’s new president had only just occupied the vice president’s chair when he was promoted to the country’s top spot following the resignation of outgoing President Otto Perez Molina amid a corruption scandal. Molina resigned and turned himself in after a judge issued a warrant for his arrest for allegedly masterminding a multi-million-dollar fraud. Officials allegedly took bribes in exchange for letting businesses evade import duties through the customs agency. Perez Molina has denied any wrongdoing.

I had things I could have done. I could have replaced the prosecutor, I could have dug in.

Otto Perez Molina.

Alejandro Maldonado, the 79-year-old conservative former high court justice who had served only a few months as Guatemala’s No. 2 official before Congress swore him in on Thursday, will also have a short stay in the presidency. He will be replaced in January when the winner of Sunday’s presidential contest is inaugurated. After assuming the top office, he asked for all the government’s ministers and top officials to offer their resignations.

I’m going to form a transition government and invite all the social groups that are protesting in the streets to propose young professionals to form the new administration.

President Alejandro Maldonado.

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