Disputed Vote: US puts visa curbs on 300 Guatemalans

The United States on Monday imposed visa restrictions on some 300 Guatemalans, including around 100 lawmakers, whom Washington accuses of "undermining democracy" in the Central American country.

The sanctions come amid tensions in Guatemala, where the surprise second-round presidential election victory by anti-graft candidate Bernardo Arevalo has been challenged by the country's prosecutor's office.

"We are taking steps to impose visa restrictions on nearly 300 Guatemalan nationals, including over 100 members of the Guatemalan congress, as well as private sector representatives and their family members for undermining democracy and the rule of law," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

"The United States will continue to take steps to impose such restrictions on any individuals undermine Guatemala's democracy," he added.

Arevalo's triumph and his pledge to fight corruption are widely seen in Guatemala as alarming to the establishment political elite.

Last week, after the prosecutor's office sought to annul the election results amid accusations of an "attempted coup," Guatemala's electoral court insisted the results were "unchangeable."

Miller said Monday, "the United States strongly condemns ongoing anti-democratic actions by Guatemala's Public Ministry and other malign actors who undermine Guatemala's rule of law."

Arevalo, 65, is set to take office January 14.

In addition to the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and the Organization of American States have repeatedly blasted Guatemalan prosecutors' efforts to annul the August election results.