Guatemalan politician accused of drug trafficking wins congressional seat

Esduin Jerson Javier Javier, a politician accused of having links to drug trafficking, secured a seat in Guatemala’s Congress during the recent general elections.

According to preliminary data from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, Javier garnered 32,501 votes in the province of Chiquimula.

Currently serving as the mayor of Ipala for two consecutive terms, Javier will join the Guatemalan legislature in 2024, representing the Cambio political party led by businessman Manuel Baldizón, who previously faced drug money laundering charges in the United States.

In 2014, Javier was accused by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of having connections to a criminal network involved in drug trafficking in eastern Guatemala.

A request for his impeachment remains pending. Wiretaps reportedly indicate his association with the leader of this criminal structure.

Local media reported in 2021 that three Guatemalan judicial magistrates avoided handling Javier’s case due to fear of reprisals. H

owever, Javier has consistently denied any involvement in organized crime through his social media channels.

Despite the pending criminal proceedings, Guatemalan electoral authorities allowed Javier’s participation in the elections.

The newly elected 2024-2028 legislative period will be marked by a fragmented Congress, with the governing party, Vamos, holding the largest number of seats at 39 out of 160.

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