Roots (political party)

Movimiento Semilla was founded in 2017 and was legalized as a political party in 2018. In the 2019 general election, Semilla nominated Thelma Aldana, former Attorney General of Guatemala, as presidential candidate. However, her candidacy was annulled before it could be officially registered. Despite this setback, the party gained notoriety and won seven seats in Congress.^[4]

In the 2023 general election, Semilla nominated Bernardo Arévalo as presidential candidate. His rise was surprising, especially in an electoral context marked by the exclusion of several candidates who were leading in the polls. Against all odds, Arévalo advanced to the runoff. Just days after his qualification, the Attorney General of Guatemala announced investigations into Semilla, alleging irregularities in the party's registration process and calling for its cancellation.^[4] These actions sparked widespread national and international concern, as many viewed them as attempts to undermine the electoral process. Although the Constitutional Court guaranteed the participation of both runoff candidates, it did not resolve the legal dispute regarding Semilla's status. Arévalo ultimately won the presidency, but the Attorney General's Office continued to pursue investigations, including allegations of electoral fraud.^[5]

Despite the legal uncertainty, Arévalo took office in January 2024. However, Semilla remained effectively dissolved and never regained its official status. The party's cancellation severely weakened the ruling party in Congress. The party's members of Congress were declared independents, stripping them of formal influence in legislative affairs.^[3][6]

After several unsuccessful efforts to restore Semilla's legal standing, in May 2025, a faction led by deputy Samuel Pérez Álvarez announced the formation of a new political party.^[7] This move triggered a dramatic split within the Semilla bloc: only 14 of its 23 deputies supported the new initiative, while the remaining nine —closer to President Arévalo and Minister of Social Development Abelardo Pinto— opted not to join and publicly criticized the project.^[1][8]

On 25 May 2025, a new party, named Roots, held its founding assembly, a key step toward legal recognition and participation in the 2027 general election. The party calls itself the "refoundation" of Semilla and upholds its principles, ideology, and leadership. Several founding members of Semilla, including economist Alberto Fuentes Knight, along with the party's largest territorial bases, joined Roots.^[1]