2023-08-21 02:17:07
Center-left candidate Bernardo Arevalo defeated former First Lady Sandra Torres in Guatemala’s presidential election on Sunday. After counting 90 percent of the votes, Arevalo was almost 60 percent ahead of Torres with almost 36 percent, according to preliminary figures from the electoral authority. The Organization of American States said the elections went smoothly, according to the 86 election observers on site.
The result might herald a new era in Guatemala following widespread allegations of corruption and creeping authoritarianism in recent years. The country is characterized by violence and food insecurity. Guatemalans now account for the largest number of Central Americans seeking to travel to the United States.
Around 9.4 million eligible voters were asked to nominate the successor to the conservative head of state and government, Alejandro Giammattei. According to the law, he was not allowed to stand once more following four years in office. The election process was overshadowed by attempts by the political elite and the Attorney General’s Office to use legal means to stop the rise of anti-corruption campaigner Arevalo. The European Union has expressed concern.
In June, 64-year-old Arevalo from the Movimiento Semilla (seed grain movement) party unexpectedly became the second strongest candidate in the first ballot. The sociologist and ex-diplomat is the son of the country’s first democratically elected president, Juan José Arevalo (1945-1951). First place went to 67-year-old Torres from the National Unity of Hope (UNE) party. In the last two elections, Torres failed in the runoff. She was the wife of the late ex-head of state Alvaro Colom, who ruled from 2008 to 2012.
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