Guatemala court blocks signing of migration deal with US

Guatemala's constitutional court has granted an injunction blocking President Jimmy Morales from signing a controversial deal with the United States that would oblige the Central American country to welcome migrants, at least in the short term.

Morales, who was under pressure at home not to seal the deal, called off White House talks with Donald Trump set for Monday hours before the court's ruling late Sunday.

The meeting in Washington was pushed back due to "speculation" about the signing of a possible deal and to await the decision of the court on legal actions filed over it, the Guatemalan government said in a statement.

Late Sunday, the constitutional court granted a provisional injunction to prevent Guatemala from becoming a "safe third country."
Former foreign minister Edgar Gutierrez told the daily El Periodico that the deal would have made Guatemala "the biggest concentration camp in history."