Guatemala Elections: Bernardo Arevalo Wins In a Landslide After Widespread Anger on Government's Election Meddling

Guatemala's voters were angry, and so angry that they voted a relative underdog to win the presidency despite government meddling in the Guatemala elections, as Bernardo Arevalo defeated establishment candidate Sandra Torres by a landslide.

According to the Associated Press, Arevalo is the "virtual winner" of Sunday's Guatemala presidential election despite the government under President Alejandro Giammattei constantly harassing him and his party, the Seed Movement.

Arevalo is now president-elect of Guatemala and his victory is distressing many of the country's "politicians who have been enjoying impunity for corruption, along with some members of the monied elite and their allies in organized crime."

With over 98% of the vote counted, the political outsider and anti-corruption crusader for the Seed Movement leads former first lady Sandra Torres by 58% to 36%.

Supreme Electoral Tribunal Magistrate Blanca Alfaro has already called Bernardo Arevalo, who is also the son of former president Juan Jose Arevalo, the "virtual winner: of the Guatemala election and called for "an immediate national dialogue to begin to reconcile the country's deep political divides."

Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei Congratulates President-Elect Bernardo Arevalo

Arevalo had been a staunch anti-corruption activist and was a big critic of current President Alejandro Giammattei. It was also the under the Giammattei administration that Guatemalan authorities constantly harassed Arevalo and his party after his surprise primary election win.

Despite this, the sitting president took to X, formerly Twitter, to congratulate his soon-to-be successor and even invited the man who was one of his biggest critics to begin an orderly transition after the results are certified, according to CNN.

Seed Movement party members and Arevalo supporters then gathered at a plaza in downtown Guatemala City to celebrate their candidate's victory. They were seen waving flags and blowing horns, with some supporters being seen crying tears of joy.

Bernardo Arevalo himself celebrated his "virtual" victory, tweeting, "Long live Guatemala!" However, the fight seems far from over as losing parties in the first round of votes have launched a complaint against the Seed Movement.

Fight Not Yet Over For Bernardo Arevalo

The Guatemala elections, both the primary and the run-off, were heavily watched by international observers, from human rights groups to the UN and the United States. This was all because the campaigning for the run-off election was "marred by attempts by some officials to remove Arevalo and his Semilla party from the race." according to Reuters.

The first round of the elections is yet to be certified as it might take two weeks to sort things out after several losing parties had the country's court system intervene. many have complained that the Seed Movement may have falsified the number of its members, though Arevalo called the allegations false.

Arevalo rode a wave of popular resentment against the elites of Guatemala on his way to qualify for the run-off against Sandra Torres, an ally of the deeply unpopular Giammattei. Before his rise, he was below the radar of many, making his win all the more surprising.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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