Where voters in Guatemala put their trust
Two candidates are on the ballot in Guatemala鈥檚 presidential runoff later this month. But the contest is less a matter of who vs. who than who vs. what 鈥� in this case, the people of Central America鈥檚 most populous nation versus the corruption eroding their democracy.
The demands of Guatemalan citizens for honesty are notable for lacking a personal target. There is no incumbent in the race to rally allegiance or stir dissent. Instead, frustrated by decades of abuses by judges and elected officials, voters have gathered in the thousands 鈥� often for days at a time 鈥� to defend their right to self-governance free from interference.
鈥淕uatemala has not experienced such diverse demonstrations to defend electoral results and respect for constitutionally guaranteed procedures since the country re-installed democracy in 1986,鈥� Gabriela Carrera, a political science professor at Rafael Land铆var University in Guatemala City, told the United States Institute of Peace last week. 鈥淭hese mobilizations are peaceful, nonpartisan and led by young people. Their central demand is to respect the integrity of the electoral process and the will of the citizens.鈥�
Guatemala鈥檚 struggle with corruption can be measured by reformers hounded into exile and former presidents behind bars. For voters, it is the cost of graft that counts. The region鈥檚 largest economy also has the highest rates of poverty and economic inequality, according to the World Bank. Transparency International ranks Guatemala the 31st-most corrupt country in the world.
Those conditions, however, have led more to motivation than despair. Ahead of the first round of voting in June, three of the most popular candidates were barred by the Constitutional Court, one after the other, on legally questionable pretexts. Voters responded in droves at the ballot box (turnout exceeded 60%). Many spoiled their ballots or left them blank in protest. Even more lined up behind a young anti-corruption party that had been polling at 3%, pushing it through to the runoff on Aug. 20.
The unexpected rise of the Seed Movement (Movimiento Semilla in Spanish, or Semilla for short) and the popularity of its anti-corruption message attracted notice. Three weeks after the first vote, the attorney general鈥檚 office tried to disqualify the party on unproven claims of fraud. That move was overturned by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, but the protests it sparked haven鈥檛 stopped. Even Semilla鈥檚 opponent in the runoff, former first lady Sandra Torres, has had to express 鈥渟olidarity with the voters of the Seed party鈥� and call for competition 鈥渦nder equal conditions.鈥�
鈥淭here is a rekindling of hope, a rekindling of confidence,鈥� Bernardo Ar茅valo, Semilla鈥檚 leader and candidate, told the Atlantic Council in late July, referring to the mood among Guatemalans.
The wisdom of the demands for change in Guatemala rests on the impersonal nature of their focus 鈥� in a trust in civic values rather than faith in individuals. At a recent protest outside the public prosecutor鈥檚 office in Guatemala City, one placard read: 鈥淭his is not for Semilla, it is for democracy.鈥�
