Guatemala’s election produces a pleasant surprise
A reformist outsider could win the presidency
EVEN BY THE standards of Central America’s ailing democracies, the run-up to elections in Guatemala on June 25th was ominous. For unconvincing reasons the electoral tribunal banned three popular presidential candidates from running. A court jailed José Rubén Zamora, a prominent investigative journalist. So it was a pleasant surprise for many Guatemalans when an outsider defied the polls to come a close second to a candidate who was backed by the country’s ruling elite. Bernardo Arévalo of Semilla (Seed), a young progressive party, won a place in the run-off in August by getting 12% of the vote. He has a real chance of becoming the country’s next leader.
This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline “Seeds of hope”
From the July 1st 2023 edition
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