Unexpected Hope For Democracy in Guatemala

President-elect Bernardo Arévalo. Photo credit: REUTERS/Cristina Chiquin

The second round of presidential elections in Guatemala on August 20 produced a surprising victor: center-left opposition politician Bernardo Arévalo, who had polled just 11 percent in the first round in June. Guatemalans have voted for change, but with a four-month presidential transition ahead, the election results will not be really final until inauguration day on […]

Guatemala’s Hollowed-Out Democracy Faces a Test

Guatemalan presidential candidate Zury Rios and vice presidential candidate Hector Cifuentes attend a campaign rally in Guatemala City, Guatemala, April 16 2023. Photo credit: REUTERS/Luis Echeverria

On June 25, just over 9 million Guatemalans will head to the polls to elect a president, vice president, members of congress, and municipal authorities. The story behind Guatemala’s elections is complicated.