In Guatemala’s upcoming presidential runoff on August 20, there will be a competition between a former first lady, Sandra Torres, and Bernardo Arévalo, the son of a former president, after a troubled election marked by concerns about inequality, corruption, and political instability in the region. Arévalo, an unexpected anti-corruption candidate, gained significant support in the first round of voting, reflecting a desire for change among voters disenchanted with the establishment. Observers are cautiously optimistic that this election could offer a choice for those looking to reject the current political system and address issues of corruption and inequality.
Reasons for the Chaotic Nature of the Race
After the UN-supported anti-corruption group (CICIG) was shut down in 2019, corruption and lawlessness grew among the country’s politicians. The group had helped secure numerous convictions, but its closure led to arrests and escape of its members due to poverty and hunger issues. Concerns over weakening democracy rose in this year’s elections as candidates fighting corruption were not allowed to participate, drawing criticism from the US and Western allies.
Arévalo, who was an ambassador to Spain and now faces attempts to disqualify him, had his Movimiento Semilla party suspended by a Guatemalan court due to allegations of faking citizens’ signatures. Despite this, he was permitted to participate in the initial round of elections after global pressure from the US, European Union, and G13 donors. Torres even paused her campaign to support Movimiento Semilla.
“Who’s Running?
As people get ready to vote on August 20, the main concerns on their minds are unemployment, corruption, and the high cost of living. They want to change the current political system because they feel that no matter what candidates promise, they end up doing the same things when they’re in power. Freeman mentioned that Guatemalans are looking to replace this broken system.
Torres has made a commitment to make social programs bigger and has supported strong measures to address crime, similar to what Nayib Bukele, the president of neighboring El Salvador, has done. She has gained support from people in rural areas because she played a role in getting more money transfers and benefits when she was the first lady over ten years ago.
At 67 years old, Torres leads one of the largest political parties in the country, called the National Unity of Hope (UNE). She was the first lady of Guatemala when her ex-husband, the former center-left President Alvaro Colom, was in office from 2008 to 2011.
This is Torres’ third time running for president. She lost in 2019 to the current President, Alejandro Giammattei. Even though she’s well-known, many Guatemalans don’t want to vote for her.
Right now, the former diplomat, Arévalo, is gaining momentum. He’s part of the center-left Movimiento Semilla party, which he helped start in 2017. He might be able to use people’s unhappiness with the current politicians to his advantage. His dad, Juan José Arévalo, was the first president elected by the people in Guatemala in 1945. People remember him for creating the country’s social security system.
His main focus, if he becomes president, is to tackle corruption in the first 100 days. Arévalo isn’t so interested in punishing the corrupt people. Instead, he wants to stop unfair spending and make sure public contracts are given out fairly. The idea is to fix the corruption problem from its root and not let public contracts be given out in a way that’s not fair.
He has made a promise to bring back the journalists, judges, and prosecutors who left the country after the government closed down CICIG. This group includes his party’s former presidential candidate, Thelma Aldana, who is known for her efforts against corruption, which led to a former president being convicted. Aldana was not allowed to run in the 2019 election.
Currently, Guatemala has diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but Arévalo has expressed his desire for Guatemala to have relationships with both Taiwan and China.
The country’s wealthy business leaders have shown support for him, like Duolingo’s CEO Luis Von Ahn, who announced a $100,000 contribution to his campaign.
In the upcoming elections, established parties are expected to control Congress, including the outgoing president’s Vamos party and Torres’ UNE party. Even if Arévalo wins in the upcoming election, he might face many challenges ahead.