As newly-elected Guatemalan president Jimmy Morales prepares to start his four-year term, the ghosts of the Central American country’s past violence are re-emerging in a dramatic way as, earlier this month, Guatemala’s Public Prosecutor’s Office arrested 18 high-ranking retired military… Read More ›
Presidential Elections
Arrests suggest crimes of the past will not be forgotten
Further to this recent post on this blog, the Guatemala Trials website speaks of the arrest of 18 former military officers in relation to crimes committed during Guatemala’s 36-year conflict. According to Sophie Beaudoin, here, “the dramatic arrests came as… Read More ›
Guatemala: new president’s first few weeks in power
Last month, on October 25, Jimmy Morales won the Guatemalan presidential elections in a landslide victory. The new president, whose slogan was “not corrupt, not a thief”, strategically campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, earning himself 67.4% of the votes. Morales’… Read More ›
Guatemalans face choice of former blackface comedian or ex-first lady
“A former comedian best known for performing in blackface and an afro wig is the odds-on favourite to become Guatemala’s new president this Sunday when he faces a former first lady in the final stage of an election overshadowed by… Read More ›
What Does Guatemala’s Presidential Election Mean for Trials of Grave Crimes?
In Guatemala’s national elections, held on September 6, no candidate achieved the necessary majority to win the presidency outright. The top two candidates, Jimmy Morales and Sandra Torres, will face each other in a runoff election on October 25. Sophie… Read More ›
Guatemala’s Presidential Elections: A Choice Between Elite Interests
Andrea Ixchiu, from Prensa Comunitaria, gave an interview with The Real News days before the Guatemala Presidential elections and her analysis still stands in the lead up to the run-off, next month, between Jimmy Morales and Sandra Torres. While Jimmy… Read More ›
Elections and the Guatemala Spring
The crowds in front of the Presidential Palace on the 27th August 2015 calling on the President to resign. Photograph by Sandra Sebastián from Plaza Pública The latest presidential elections will be taking place this weekend barring any sudden intervention… Read More ›
Pessimism high in run-up to Guatemala elections
“After government corruption has dominated the political scene for months, voters are pessimistic about Guatemala’s political future.” This article appeared in the Telesur English site last week and highlights the increasing levels of pessimism among Guatemalans in the run up… Read More ›
Between a rock and a hard place…..
The results of the Guatemala Presidential elections, which took place on Sunday, 11th September, left two candidates to run-off on the 6th November. According to PlazaPública, Otto Pérez Molina gained 36.08% and Manuel Baldizón was second with 23.3%. Presidential elections… Read More ›
Elections – Guatemalan first couple to divorce
As we have noted earlier here and here, it cannot be a huge surprise to note that the President and his wife are seeking to divorce so that Sandra Colom is legally entitled to stand for the upcoming Presidential election…. Read More ›
