Anti-corruption Candidate Bernardo Arévalo Wins Guatemala’s Presidential Election

Bernardo Arévalo, an anti-corruption advocate representing the progressive Movimiento Semilla party, emerged victorious in Guatemala’s presidential election on Sunday. He defeated former First Lady Sandra Torres. With a complete tally of votes, Arévalo secured an impressive 58.01% of the votes compared to Torres’s 37.24%. The election of Arévalo stands as a robust rejection of the prevailing democratic decay and deeply ingrained political malfeasance within the most populous nation in Central America. Along with El Salvador and Nicaragua, Guatemala was one of several Central American countries to suffer a troubling authoritarian slide in recent years. The Centre-left politician, Arévalo, skillfully harnessed the prevalent public dissatisfaction by pledging to rein in crime and corruption, address malnutrition, and foster development in a nation marked by some of the most pronounced inequality levels in the area. Belize’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Eamon Courtenay, congratulated Arevalo and Karin Herrera, the newly elected Vice President, on X. Minister Courtenay said “Belize looks forward to a lawful transition and assumption of office in January 2024. Belize and Guatemala will continue cordial relations with the new government” International media are reporting that Arevalo is being “urged to ditch Taiwan.” He has said he does not want to cut ties with Taipei, but does want more trade with mainland China. Guatemala, together with Belize, are the only two Central American countries out of just 13 worldwide, that recognize Taipei instead of Beijing. Taiwan has lost nine diplomatic allies since 2016, with Honduras being the latest Central American country to switch allegiance in March. Taiwan congratulated Arevalo on his victory this morning.