Conservative Alejandro Giammattei was elected Guatemala’s new president in a second-round vote last Sunday. With minimum support in Congress and low voter turn, his presidency seems to offer more politics as usual, leaving much-needed reform out of the near future to solve Guatemala’s most pressing issues.
New evidence has surfaced that former and sitting presidents, Porfirio Lobo and Juan Orlando Hernández may have benefitted from drug trafficking. Their eventual extradition to the U.S. seems like a real possibility. But is the country’s opposition ready to take over?
Corruption and an unpopular president have paved the way for a crowded field of mostly unknown presidential hopefuls. After the country’s Constitutional Court ruled against two top contenders, the election shifted from a relatively safe bet to an uncertain race.
Panama’s presidential election quickly shifted from a safe bet to a close race. Nito Cortizo will hold the office for the next five years, but because of the narrow results his presidency is off to a weak start.
The corruption-plagued Varela (2014-2019) presidency will likely result in the election of Laurentino Cortizo and the return of the Revolutionary Democratic Party to the Palacio de las Garzas.
Salvadorans voted for a populist maverick as their next president. But low voter turnout and a lack of friends in Congress promise to weaken the mandate of the president-elect.
Nayib Bukele, a former FMLN member now running as a third-party candidate, is expected to win the first round on February 3rd. The question now is whether or not he will amass sufficient support to avoid a runoff on March 10th.
Widespread discontent with corruption-plagued traditional parties might result in a historical win for Nayib Bukele, a former FMLN member who is now running on a third-party platform.
Five months into his second presidency, Sebastián Piñera has seen his popularity drop. Unrealistic expectations over economic growth and a series of controversial statements from his cabinet members explain why.
In a surprise vote marked by high turnout and polarization surrounding same-sex marriage, Carlos Alvarado defeated Fabricio Alvarado. But Fabricio may not have been the biggest loser in the landslide election.