Uncertainty for the Second Round of the Electoral Process

  • Tuesday, August 6, 2019
On August 11, Guatemalans will go for the second time to the polls, in a climate of uncertainty, tension and roadblocks, because of dissatisfaction with the results of the first round of elections and the recent immigration agreement signed with the United States.
Days after the first round was held, in which the results of the presidential election were won by the candidate of the National Unity of Hope, Sandra Torres, with 24% of the votes, followed by Alejandro Giammattei of the Vamos party, with 13.9%, several sectors of society began to express their dissatisfaction with the results, derived from the problems that arose with the transmission of data to the computer system.

At the end of July, Jimmy Morales' administration signed an agreement with the U.S. on immigration, news that was not well received by some sectors, and that has also been a source of discord in the country.

The discontent with the results of the first round and the signing of the migration agreement with the U.S. are the factors that influenced the Peasant Development Committee (Codeca) to block at least 25 points of the country's road system on August 6.

Faced with this situation, the Constitutional Court (CC) granted the Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial and Financial Associations (CACIF) an injunction so that the country guarantees respect for the rights of Guatemalans and orders security elements to maintain public order.

According to a CACIF statement, the purpose of the legal action is that "... no blockades are carried out or maintained that prevent or affect the rights of protection of the person, freedom of action, industry, commerce and work."

In this turbulent climate, in which there is also uncertainty because of the mistakes made by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal in the first round, the country is preparing to elect Torres or Giammattei as the next president.

See "CC grants protection requested by CACIF against the threat of blockades of Codeca" and "Codeca concentrates in several points of the country and blocks the vehicular traffic" (in Spanish).

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