Nichols said on Twitter he had highlighted the need to “proceed without interference or harassment of candidates and parties,” following attempts to suspend the party of anti-graft candidate Bernardo Arevalo.

Bucaro said later on Monday the two had discussed “the positive role that the Guatemalan executive branch has played” in the lead-up to the second round of elections.

The US had criticised a police raid on the offices of Arevalo’s centre-left Semilla party on Friday. The prosecutor leading the investigation into Semilla, Rafael Curruchiche, is on the US state department’s Engel List for “corrupt and undemocratic actors.”

A senior Biden administration official last week described the raid as representing “authoritarian practices” and a violation of democratic norms by Guatemala’s public ministry.

The official added the US was closely monitoring the lead-up to the run-off and would host Arevalo and his opponent, former first lady Sandra Torres, for talks in Washington this week to show support for free and fair elections.