Guatemalans elect progressive new president, who faces challenges to his party’s legal status
PBS NewsHourAug 30, 2023
The Facts
Center-left Seed Movement candidate Bernardo Arévalo, who ran on an anti-corruption platform, won Guatemala’s presidential run-off election on Sunday, defeating former first lady Sandra Torres by a wide margin.
Arévalo commanded 58% of the vote after all the votes were counted, but Torres has so far refrained from accepting the election results, which still have to be certified to become official.
The Spin
Narrative A
Bernardo Arevalo’s resounding win was a pleasant surprise for democracy in Guatemala and the world. Despite legal threats and undemocratic maneuvers to prevent him from winning, Arevalo’s stayed true to his anti-corruption message and drew overwhelming support from the Guatemalan people. Guatemala’s latest election shows how an outsider can rise through adversity, and it is an example of how democracy can thrive in the face of authoritarianism.
Narrative B
It was known well before Election Day that Guatemala's establishment would not allow any candidate threatening the interests of the country's corrupt political elite to run for president — the fact that Arévalo won to the second round must be considered with skepticism rather than optimism. It's very likely that either he is not a threat to the status quo, or that he will be prevented from taking office.
