Andrea Marcela Blanco Fuentes (born 5 February 2000) is a Guatemalan activist and politician.
Marcela Blanco | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Blanco in 2023 | |
| Born | February 5, 2000 Guatemala City, Guatemala |
| Alma mater | Rafael Landívar University |
| Political party | Semilla |
Early life and education
editBlanco graduated from the Rafael Landívar University in Communication Sciences and is in the process of obtaining a master's degree in public administration at the same university.[1]
Political career
editBlanco was nominated as a candidate for member of Congress for Guatemala City by the Semilla party in 2023 general election. She occupied ninth position on the list, but she was not elected.[2] According to The Washington Post, Blanco brought "star power" to Bernardo Arévalo's successful presidential campaign, as she helped the Semilla party understand Generation Z's communication codes through TikTok.[3]
While she was still a candidate for member of Congress, she joined the demonstrations calling for the resignation of Walter Mazariegos, rector of the Universidad de San Carlos, the state university. According to the opposition and the United States Department of State, the election of the rector was a "fraudulent process" designed to favor the candidate related to the ruling party.[4][5][6]
After her failed candidacy, she became a critic of President Alejandro Giammattei's administration, as well as the Public Ministry's controversial investigations into the 2023 general election.[7]
2023 arrest
editIn November 2023, the Public Ministry requested the arrest of Blanco, along with twenty students and university professors critical of Mazariegos for their support for the demonstrations and the seizure of the facilities of the Universidad de San Carlos. On November 16, Blanco was arrested at her home by agents on charges of corruption.[8][9] Members of Semilla condemned her arrest,[10] and the Secretary General of the Organization of American States Luis Almagro condemned the arrests of Blanco and other students and university professors.[11] Blanco's arrest helped raise her national profile.[3]
Blanco's case was assigned to Judge Víctor Cruz –Cruz ordered the capture of former 2019 Semilla presidential candidate Thelma Aldana–, who sent Blanco to preventive detention.[12] The Public Ministry presented tweets and videos on TikTok as evidence against Blanco and requested four charges against her: crimes of aggravated usurpation, depredation of cultural property, sedition and illicit association.[12] Cruz dismissed the last two charges and granted Blanco house arrest. The trial is scheduled for June 2024.[13]
References
edit- ^ "¿Quién es Marcela Blanco, la excandidata de Semilla que fue arrestada?" (in Spanish). Soy502. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
- ^ "Elecciones 2023: Candidatos a diputados del Movimiento Semilla" (in Spanish). República. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
- ^ a b "How TikTokers and Swifties became political power brokers in Guatemala". The Washington Post. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- ^ "Marcela Blanco: mi captura atenta contra la ciudadanía" (in Spanish). La Hora. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
- ^ "Estudiantes de la Usac afirman que "desconocen" como rector a Walter Mazariegos y anuncian que medidas de hecho seguirán" (in Spanish). Prensa Libre. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- ^ "Section 353 Corrupt and Undemocratic Actors Report: 2023". United States Department of State. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- ^ "Guatemalan prosecutors pursue president-elect and student protesters over campus takeover". ABC News. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
- ^ "Guatemalan prosecutors pursue president-elect and student protesters over campus takeover". AP News. 2023-11-16. Retrieved 2023-12-02.
- ^ Eyder, Peralta (November 16, 2023). "Guatemala's president-elect faces charges from prosecutors". NPR.
- ^ Perez D, Sonia (16 November 2023). "Capturan a Marcela Blanco, excandidata a diputada de Semilla, vinculada al caso de ocupación de la Usac" (in Spanish). Prensa Libre. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
- ^ "OEA condena "continuada" persecución política a binomio electo" (in Spanish). Prensa Libre. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Caso Usac: Videos de X y TikTok son las pruebas del MP contra Marcela Blanco" (in Spanish). La Hora. 22 November 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- ^ "Caso Toma de la Usac: MP apela la decisión de juez Víctor Cruz y pide que los seis señalados vuelvan a la cárcel" (in Spanish). Prensa Libre. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
