Alejandro Giammattei became the president of Guatemala earlier this year. On the border of Mexico's southeast, the country is the most populous one in Central America.
Latin American countries have arguably been hit the hardest in the world by the COVID-19 pandemic—residents of the countries who've been confirmed as testing positive include, powerful politicians.
Giammattei tests positive for COVID-19
New Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei has apparently contracted the novel Coronavirus. According to Bloomberg, Giammattei himself reported the news to the public.
He confirmed it while speaking to a radio station.
Giammattei has reportedly developed body aches and coughs. He's been put on a nebulizer in an attempt to prevent pulmonary complications. Giammattei plans to self-isolate from home, but he does intend to continue working from there.
The president is not the only high-ranking Guatemalan politician to have recently come down with COVID-19. Culture and Sports Minister Lidiette Silvana Martinez has also tested positive. It's unclear if either Giammattei or Silvana Martinez contracted the novel coronavirus from the other. But the news has prompted the rest of the Cabinet to get tested, indicates Reuters.
The Presidency is the first elected position that Giammattei has held.
He had made other attempts in the past, including three previous Presidential campaigns. Before becoming president, Giammattei was probably best known as the head of Guatemala's Penitentiary System.
His three previous unsuccessful attempts were ultimately won by three different men. Alvaro Colom won in 2007. Retired Guatemalan Army Brigadier General Otto Perez Molina prevailed in 2011.
Actor and comedian Jimmy Morales emerged victorious in 2015.
Giammattei is currently a member of the conservative political party Vamos. Roughly translating to "Let's go" or "Come on". But it's not his first political affiliation. He's been a member of at least three other political parties.
Fuerza ('Force'), Centro de Accion Social ('Social Action Centre'), and Gran Alianza Nacional ('Grand National Alliance')
The most recent world leader to test positive
Several world leaders have now been confirmed to have caught the novel coronavirus. Presidents, prime ministers, and multiple royal figures have been struck. Their family members have also not been immune.
Giammattei is at least the fourth sitting president of a Latin American nation publicly confirmed to have COVID-19. Giammattei was one of Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez's biggest supports when he and his wife tested positive. Presidents Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and Jeanine Anez of Bolivia are also among those hit with the novel coronavirus.
