Guatemala Elections: US Warns Against Efforts To Interfere With Results

The United States is warning of election interference in Guatemala following the surprising results of the Guatemalan presidential elections that saw a notable anti-corruption advocate win a spot at the country's run-off election against one of its most notable veteran politicians.

The US warning came after the Constitutional Court, Guatemala's equivalent to the Supreme Court, ordered ballots from the first-round vote be reviewed and set up a possible recount.

According to The Guardian, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Washington has already endorsed findings by independent observers regarding the validity of the Guatemala elections. He added that this review would undermine the outcome and become a "grave threat to democracy with far-reaching implications."

The European Union was also monitoring the results and also backed the outcome that was released by the country's electoral tribunal. The group then called on Guatemala's institutions and political parties to respect the electoral process, saying that the results "clearly manifested the will of citizens."

Other international observers, such as the Organization of American States, agreed with the US and the EU and said that its observers witnessed "a satisfactory election day, in which citizens expressed their will, members of the electoral board facilitated the vote, and political parties inspected the vote at every stage." The inter-American organization then called for Guatemala to respect the will of its citizens.

Guatemala Election Results Challenged By 10 Parties, Including Frontrunner Sandra Torres' Party

Former First Lady Sandra Torres, a conservative, took the top spot in the elections, with center-left anti-corruption advocate Bernardo Arevalo surprising many by defying the pre-election poll results and getting second place. Both candidates are now the only two left and will face off in the run-off elections in August. However, Arevalo might not be able to run at all should a recount be done and the US warnings come true.

The Associated Press reported that the Constitutional Court's temporary injunction was made after 10 parties challenged the results of the election, which happened last June 25. A new hearing will now the contested tallies in no more than five days.

Even though she took the top spot in the first round of the Guatemala elections, Sandra Torres alleged that Arevalo's votes might have been manipulated as he was not polling very highly before the elections. The ex-First Lady's party was one of the ten political parties that challenged the results.

Her surprising underdog opponent pushed back, however, saying that Torres's request to review the vote was lacking in merit. Political observers say that Arevalo's surprising rise represented the fact that many Guatemalans are now sick of the status quo in the country.

Bernardo Arevalo Warns Followers To Remain Vigilant Against Election Interference

While Torres represents the Guatemalan establishment, Torres is largely seen as coming out of nowhere to challenge the political elites. Following the warnings from international observers, Arevalo also told his supporters to remain vigilant, according to DW.

"We can't let the same old parties, frustrated and disappointed by their poor results in the first round, tarnish and call into question the free decision of thousands of Guatemalans," the candidate said in a video on social media.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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