What's happening in Guatemala? How a small country's elections could have a big impact on the US
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY
Sat, July 8, 2023 at 4:07 AM CDT·6 min read
Bernardo Arevalo, a 64-year-old sociologist, anti-corruption campaigner and son of former President Juan Jose Arevalo, defied the doubters grabbing a top spot in the first round of Guatemala's presidential election last month.
He came in second behind former first lady Sandra Torres, with just under 12% of the vote, a result that experts say amounts to crushing it in a race where no candidate won more than 16% of votes.
Arevalo did so partly because several more popular candidates – both right and left wing – who represented a challenge to the status quo were barred from running on various alleged technicalities. And partly because, with nearly a quarter of all ballots left blank, his left-of-center Seed Movement party likely benefited from public discontent with the other candidates.
Now, election deniers are casting ill-founded doubt over the results. Even the U.S. government has warned over possible efforts to interfere with Guatemala's presidential election results. What's more, the election in the small Central American nation of almost 17 million could have a decisive impact in a region so closely tied to the United States and key to securing the southern border.
More:
https://news.yahoo.com/whats-happening-guatemala-small-countrys-090710471.html