In Guatemala, follow the count to see the final results. Unofficially, it is already known that Sandra Torres, from the National Unity of Hope (UNE), and Bernardo Arévalo, from the Seed Movement, will face each other in August. However, the important thing about these elections is not who will win the second round, but how to face the democratic crisis, since among those who did not vote, those who voted blank or annulled their vote, account for more than 60% of the electorate.
The second round in Guatemala would have to be between two candidates, but it will be three, since the rejection won them all. In the first round, 25% of the votes were null, and 40% of the voters did not appear at the polls. Sandra Torres, who came in first place, barely had 15% of the votes, and Bernardo Arévalo 12%.
achieve “interpret”
In addition to the corruption, migration and other problems that Guatemala is already facing, these electoral results plunge the country into a crisis of representation that the two candidates will have to face in the second round.
“That element is issue central either one of the topics central of expensive to the second lap electoral: how achieve perceive, as achieve interpret the two options that go to the runoff, this message overwhelming, that is historical in he country, that is the summation of the vote null, further he vote in white, further he abstentionism?” asks the political scientist and university professor Renzo Rosales.
“Evidently ha been very marked in this chance, but back of it there is a message very strong of disaffection forehead to the candidates, of disaffection forehead to the matches, of disaffection of the system political in general. AND by it so much who I achieved interpret, who I achieved translate this in messages assertive, forceful, and convert them in part of his proposal policy, believe that can take out elderly advantage of expensive to the second return”, estimates the analyst.
“It will be very difficult to govern”
The question is whether to weigh of this rejection, the person who is elected will be able to govern. “It’s going to be difficult,” Rosales replies. “In Guatemala we obviously have a whole agenda, let’s say, citizen, of all the lagging issues, which historically are like the big ones pending, but in practice it will be very difficult for this to be even minimally satisfied,” she stresses.
“Assuming this scenario, Bernardo Arévalo will find it very difficult to govern in these conditions of going against the current. In the case of Sandra Torres, it would be difficult for her, but perhaps less, because she will have a strong bench in Congress, but also a more favorable correlation of actors. And she is very ductile, she adapts to the highest bidder. While Semilla’s proposal is somewhat more fixed, it is in a political project, let’s say, more designed, that of the UNE is conditioned to the market and the circumstances of the moment. So I think that in the end it will also weigh a lot for the second round”, details the political scientist.
The social democratic candidates Sandra Torres and Bernardo Arévalo will compete for the presidency of Guatemala in a ballot on August 20.
