CENTRE-LEFT candidate Bernardo Arevalo was confirmed as the winner of Guatemala’s presidential election by the country’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal on Monday — the same day his political party was suspended.

Mr Arevalo has faced a slew of legal challenges and allegations of irregularities since his victory over a candidate favoured by the country’s right-wing elite.

Mr Arevalo is now set to take office as president on January 14, but it was not clear whether his Seed Movement lawmakers would be able to take their seats in the country’s congress.

The president-elect called the suspension of his party by the Electoral Registry legally void and said they would appeal the decision.

“As of this moment, no-one can stop me from taking office on January 14,” he told a news conference.

The electoral registry’s ruling arose from an investigation into the Seed Movement by Guatemala’s attorney general’s office for alleged irregularities in the gathering of signatures for its formation as a party.

An appeal by the Seed Party would need to go before the Supreme Electoral Tribunal which formally outranks the registry.

The announcements come after one of the most tumultuous elections in the Central American nation’s recent history, which has put Guatemala’s democracy to the test.

At a time when Guatemalans have grown disillusioned with endemic corruption, Mr Arevalo and other opponents of the country’s elite have faced waves of judicial attacks.

Mr Arevalo easily beat the right-wing former first lady Sandra Torres in the August 20 presidential run-off. 

According to the official count, the Seed Movement candidate obtained 60.9 per cent of the votes, against 37.2 per cent for Ms Torres. 

The party also won 23 seats in the 160-seat Congress.

His win has been the source of a legal back-and-forth between various governmental entities and courts, some staffed with officials who have been sanctioned by the United States on charges of corruption. 

He has faced allegations of voter fraud by Ms Torres, legal challenges and more.

Eight days after her run-off defeat, Ms Torres still has not conceded defeat and outgoing President Alejandro Giammattei made no comment about the latest developments.

“It’s obviously another attempt to subvert Semilla’s [the Seed Movement’s] path to power,” said Alex Papadovassilakis, a Guatemala-based investigator for InSight Crime focused on crime and corruption. “I think we’re entering uncharted waters.”

Earlier this week, the Organisation of American States’ human rights commission asked that Guatemala provide protection for Mr Arevalo after reports emerged of a possible plot to kill him.