Guatemala election: anti-corruption crusader Bernardo Arevalo wins presidency by landslide
- Surprise favourite Bernardo Arevalo’s anti-corruption message fires up weary voters in Guatemala
- His rival, the former first lady Sandra Torres, came in second with 37 per cent of the vote
Guatemalan anti-corruption crusader Bernardo Arevalo was voted in as president on Sunday, preliminary results showed, a victory that until recently seemed impossible and which many voters hope will end years of rule dogged by allegations of graft and authoritarianism.
Arevalo, a 64-year-old ex-diplomat and son of a former president, had a 58 per cent to 37 per cent lead over former first lady Sandra Torres with 99 per cent of votes counted.
His victory comes as violence and food insecurity roil the country, triggering fresh waves of migration. Guatemalans now represent the largest number of Central Americans seeking to enter the United States.
Arevalo has vowed to “purge institutions co-opted by the corrupt” and to get people committed to what he calls the fight for justice to return to Guatemala after scores of prosecutors, judges and journalists fled the country.
He faces blowback from entrenched interests and a Congress which his party does not control.
