The candidate who made the surprise of the presidential election in GuatemalaBernardo Arevalo, was elected the new head of state in the second round of voting yesterday Sunday, despite attempts by the judiciary to put him out of the race, promising to end the corruption in Central America’s most populous country, plagued by poverty and violence.
“The people of Guatemala have spoken clearly and loudly,” the 64-year-old sociologist and former diplomat told the press after his victory, delivering a speech denouncing corruption. He also said that two presidents of neighboring countries, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico and Naguib Buquele of El Salvador, called him to congratulate him and discuss joint programs.
Earlier, the president of the electoral commission, the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE), Irma Palencia, announced that Mr. Arevalo secured 59% of the votes, after 95% of the ballots were counted, against 36% of his opponent, the former first lady Sandra Torres.
Outgoing right-wing president Alejandro Yamate immediately reacted via X (the former Twitter), congratulating Mr Arevalos and calling on him “to start an orderly process of transfer (of power) the day after the results are official”.
“The victory of Mr. Arevalos marks the defeat of the old political (guard), the ruling party (…) A new era begins for our country and we must mobilize for a peaceful handover,” noted analyst Miguel Angel Sandoval.
The vote was taken without any “significant” problems being reported, the TSE said, according to which the participation reached a “historic rate”. He did not give a specific percentage.
The two candidates, Bernardo Arevalo and Sandra Torres, 67, state that they both belong to center left. But he was the first one who seemed to capitalize on the hopes for change in the deeply unequal country, while his opponent was considered a representative of the ruling class, the elites. The National Union of Hope (UNE) candidate promised her own anti-gang and anti-poverty campaign, announcing food aid for the poorest and job training programs. But in her bid to secure the support of the right and evangelicals, she also proliferated conservative-leaning speeches. “Arevalo’s diplomatic and parliamentary experience gives him a base of knowledge and experience to form a broad government team. This will strengthen its legitimacy”, estimates Francisco Rojas, rector of the University for Peace (UPEACE).
“complicated period”
“It remains to be seen whether Sandra Torres will concede defeat, but there will be a long period until she takes office (ie January 14, 2024). This will be a complicated period,” he added. The former wife of center-left former president Alvaro Colomb (2008-2012) had the tacit support of the outgoing president, whose four-year tenure was marked by a crackdown on judges and journalists who fought against corruption.
In the indigenous town of San Juan Sacatepeques, about thirty kilometers from the capital, voters expressed their hopes that there would be change. “You can’t live anywhere anymore, you have a lot of crime“, said Maria Rak, housewife, 66 years old. Efren Botz, a trucker, 47, said he hoped the new president would “fight the corruption which affects us”.
“We are confident: the winner will be the people of Guatemala”, said Mr. Arevalo while voting in a high school in the capital. Ms. Torres made no statement after casting her vote. Mr Arevalo, who caused widespread surprise by finishing second in the June 25 first round, appears to have apparently capitalized on the electorate’s hope for change, especially young people, who make up 16% of the 9.4 million registered voters. catalogs.
“Corrupt politicians”
“For years we were the victims – the prey – of corrupt politicians. By going to vote you will send a clear message that it is the people of Guatemala who rule this country, not the corrupt,” he said on Friday, closing his campaign. He is the son of the first democratically elected president of the country, by Juan José Arevalo (1945-1951).
His spectacular success probably disturbed the economic and political elite of Guatemala, who saw him as a threat to their interests, and the prosecution multiplied its investigations against him. At the request of a prosecutor, a judge ordered on July 12 to revoke the legal status of his party, the Semilla (“Seed”) movement, for alleged irregularities in its creation in 2017. The decision was suspended by the Constitutional Court. However, the prosecutor’s office investigated the party headquartersAPE-MPE broadcasts.
And on Thursday, three days before the second round, prosecutor Rafael Kuručiće – who has been sanctioned by the US for “corruption” and “undemocratic” actions – announced possible arrests of leading members of Semiya, without ruling out “raids, warrants arrest, requests for waivers of immunity after August 20″.
Three decades after the end of the barbarian civil warGuatemala continues to be plagued by poverty, violent crime and corruption, a situation that drives thousands of Guatemalans to emigrate each year, mainly to the US.
Source: News Beast
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