The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) held a special meeting Wednesday to discuss the turmoil surrounding the presidential political transition in Guatemala. Cesar Bernardo Arevalo de Leon, the president-elect, won the election in August in a landslide victory.

Despite Arevalo’s apparent victory, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) has been raided four times by the country’s Public Ministry (PM) since then. In an interview with PBS, Arevalo called the actions a “coup,” claiming they were intended to prevent him from taking power. After Wednesday’s meeting, the head of the OAS, Luis Almagro, expressed sharp criticisms of the actions of the Guatemalan prosecutor. In a statement to Reuters, Almagro called the raids “a shameful example for the hemisphere.”

The raids have caused large protests in Guatemala City. The demonstrators are calling for the resignation of Attorney General Consuelo Porras and prosecutor Rafael Curruchiche. Curruchiche is the highest-ranking anti-corruption prosecutor in the PM. On X (formerly known as Twitter), Curruchiche refused to resign, saying the PM would continue “the investigation of the Truth.” He went on to say that he would rescue the democracy and sovereignty of Guatemala.

Last week, the US State Department released a statement outlining the “anti-democratic actions in Guatemala.” At today’s meeting, the US Mission to OAS expressed its concern about the developing situation in the country. The US urged OAS to adopt a resolution under Chapter IV of the Inter-American Democratic Charter to call for “immediate cessation” of anti-democratic actions by Guatemalan prosecutors.