WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Former Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei is barred from entering the U.S. over allegations of “his involvement in significant corruption,” the State Department said on Wednesday.
Giammattei was defeated in August by anti-corruption crusader Bernardo Arevalo as he sought re-election as leader of Central American’s most populous nation.
“The State Department has credible information indicating that Giammattei accepted bribes in exchange for the performance of his public functions during his tenure as president of Guatemala, actions that undermined the rule of law and government transparency,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
Reuters was not able to immediately reach Giammattei for comment.
Arevalo was sworn in as Guatemala’s president in the early hours of Monday after a chaotic inauguration that was delayed for hours by a last-ditch attempt by Congress opponents to weaken his authority.
(Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Lisa Shumaker)
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