Fausta's Blog

American and Latin American Politics, Society, and Culture

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Guatemala: Jimmy Morales landslide

A political outsider who ran on 1 issue: Fighting corruption, wins by a 2:1 margin,
Jimmy Morales Wins Guatemalan Presidential Election in Landslide. Former TV comedian is political outsider who now must meet his promise to tackle country’s rampant corruption

With 92% of ballots counted, Mr. Morales had 70% of the vote, compared with 30% for his rival, former first lady Sandra Torres. If the trend holds, it would be the largest margin of victory in a presidential vote here since democracy was restored in 1985 after a military dictatorship.

“I have been given a mandate, a mandate to clean up corruption that has eaten at this country,” Mr. Morales said in a TV message.

The president, vice-president, the head of the central bank, leaders of several political parties, and the head of the social-security institute, all are investigated brought down by myriad corruption charges:

Polls show corruption is the main concern in Guatemala, above insecurity and unemployment. Guatemala ranks 115 out of 175 countries in the corruption perceptions index of International Transparency—one of the worst positions in the region.

Some businessmen calculate around 30% of the country’s meager annual government spending, $9.1 billion this year, is squandered through corruption.

Here is his acceptance speech (in Spanish),

He will serve one 4-year term. The challenges he’ll face are enormous.

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Guatemala: Comedian wins first round

In less than a week, the Guatemalans forced their president’s resignation, charged him, jailed him, and held an election:

Comedian Wins First Round of Guatemalan Election. Jimmy Morales, who once played a cowboy who became president, hasn’t secured enough votes to avoid runoff

The regularly scheduled election came just days after President Otto Pérez Molina resigned and was jailed in connection with a customs fraud scandal, plunging the country into political crisis. Vice President Alejandro Maldonado will serve as president until the winner of the runoff takes office in January.
. . .
The stunning rise of Mr. Morales, a 46-year-old who barely registered in the polls earlier this year, reflects Guatemalans’ disaffection with politics as usual. He campaigned as a political outsider, with the slogan: “Neither corrupt nor a thief.”

Morales’s party spent around $480,000 during the campaign through July, compared with $5.3 million from Manuel Baldizón’s party who tied for second place with leftist former first lady Sandra Torres.

Elena Toledo interviews Fedro Trujillo and says that Guatemalans Show Latin America How to Do a Revolution. Let’s hope rule of law and end of corruption prevail.

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