A group of lawyers filed suit to block the divorce being sought by Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom that would allow his wife Sandra Torres de Colom to seek the presidency.

Judge Mildred Roca said the petition filed in the Central American nation's Supreme Court seeks to "suspend the process of divorce" of the first couple.

The lawsuit and a similar one filed last week represent the latest drama in Guatemala where the president and first lady agreed to split to circumvent legal obstacles to her running for his office.

Mynor Berganza, one of the lawyers involved in the lawsuit, said the divorce of the presidential couple "affects the public interest" because it seeks to "circumvent or skip" a constitutional ban.

The country's constitution prohibits the spouse and other relatives of the outgoing president to run for the presidency.

In 1989, the constitutional court barred the wife of then-president Vinicio Cerezo from running for the country's highest office.

The judge handling the divorce has been given extra security since receiving death threats from someone claiming to oppose the first couple's request.

Torres said last month she was divorcing despite her love for her husband.

"The love for Guatemala is the reason why the president and I put the interests of the country ahead of our own interests," said Torres

Torres shed tears as she described the "great and solid love" she felt for her husband, but said that her love for the people was "limitless."

Critics say the move mocks the constitution, but the couple dismiss the critics as politicians and business interests opposed to the government's social reforms.