The Business Press – June 26, 2023 at 07:47AM
On Sunday, the Guatemalan citizens went to the polls to cast their vote in the presidential election. This year’s election has been the most hotly contested in recent years, with corruption, exclusion of a leading candidate, and the cost of living being the primary concerns.
The race to succeed conservative President Alejandro Giammattei, who is limited by law to one term, has been overshadowed by a court ruling to block four candidates from the ballot including early front-runner, businessman Carlos Pineda.
The United States and the European Union criticized the exclusion of Pineda, who called the decision “electoral fraud.”
Former first lady Sandra Torres is tipped to win the first round but is expected to fall short of the 50% plus one vote needed for an outright victory in the elections, the fairness of which has come under international scrutiny.
She is up against more than 20 other candidates, including Edmond Mulet, a career diplomat, and Zury Rios, daughter of the late dictator Efrain Rios Montt.
Stakes in the election are high, given deteriorating standards of transparency and human rights in recent years, as well as ongoing poverty, corruption and violence.
The election has been dominated by these issues, with each candidate promising to tackle them head-on if they’re elected. The high turnout in the election indicates that the Guatemalan citizens are taking this election very seriously, and they’re eager to see changes that will benefit them.
The international community is watching this election with great interest, and they’re hoping that the elected president will take steps to fight corruption and improve the lives of the Guatemalan people. The election results are yet to be announced, and everyone is waiting anxiously for them.
The Business Press 