International leaders celebrated the overwhelming victory on Sunday of Guatemalan presidential aspirant Bernardo Arevalo, a win that had long seemed out of reach for the anti-graft candidate in an elections process shaken by accusations of government intervention.
“A salute to the people and government of Guatemala for an exemplary election day, a true civic celebration,” Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary-General Luis Almagro said on the social media platform X.
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government has sent its congratulations to Arevalo through its embassy in Guatemala, one of the 13 UN member states that recognize Taiwan.
Photo: AFP
Taiwan will seek to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with Guatemala under Arevalo’s incoming government, based on the shared values of democracy and freedom, the ministry said in a statement.
Arevalo, in a teleconference with the Washington-based Atlantic Council late last month, said that he has “no interest” in changing the nation’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan should he be elected.
“We are discussing [with Taiwanese officials] the ways in which we can ... harness their cooperation into our development plans,” he said at the time. “We have made it very clear that there is no interest in altering the diplomatic relations between our countries.”
He added that expanding trade with China and keeping his country’s diplomatic relations with Taiwan are not mutually exclusive.
A 64-year-old former diplomat and son of Guatemala’s first democratically elected president, Arevalo garnered 58 percent of votes versus former first lady Sandra Torres’ 37 percent, with nearly all votes counted late on Sunday.
“The outcome of the vote is already very clear,” EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said in a statement. “It is crucial for all state institutions and all sectors of society to support and join in this effort in the interests of the country.”
Arevalo, who ran on a campaign of fighting corruption, faced an uphill battle at the polls. He came in a surprise second place in a first-round vote earlier this year, triggering a run-off. A number of other opposition candidates had been barred from running.
His competitor, Torres, alleged irregularities in the first round of voting and Arevalo’s party, Semilla, was briefly suspended at the request of a top prosecutor.
As of yesterday morning, Torres had yet to accept her loss publicly. In a press conference on Sunday afternoon, Torres, an ally of outgoing Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei, said she was “worried” about the integrity of the vote.
Her UNE party said in a statement late on Sunday that it would take a position once the elections results were put out “with total transparency.”
An OAS representative, with a team of 86 election observers in Guatemala, said voting had gone smoothly and the election “fulfilled all the demanding obligations.”
An EU mission is to put out a preliminary statement with its findings today.
The EU, as well as governments, such as Brazil and Norway, said they expected a peaceful transition of power.
However, the attacks on Arevalo are likely to continue, said Risa Grais-Targow, an analyst at political risk consultancy firm Eurasia Group.
“The ruling pact will likely continue to target electoral officials and Arevalo’s Semilla party with investigations ahead of January’s change in government,” she said.
Giammattei has vowed to ensure an orderly transition of power. He wrote on X that he had congratulated Arevalo, and invited him to meet “the day after election results were finalized.”
Arevalo will face challenges once in office, as Guatemala is roiled by violence and food insecurity. Guatemalans now represent the largest number of Central Americans seeking to enter the US.
Arevalo said he had already spoken with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on Guatemala’s agenda with its neighbors.
Honduran President Xiomara Castro said on X she was sure that following Arevalo’s win, “we will unify the people of Central America.”
Additional reporting by staff writer
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