Approximately 9.4 million Guatemalans will vote on June 25th to determine the President, Vice President, Congress members, mayors, and Parlacen representatives.
A runoff will occur on August 20th if no candidate receives an outright majority. The voter registry includes 9,361,068 people for the 2024-2028 term.
Polling stations will open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m., marking the country’s tenth election since 1996.
Women make up 17% more of the registered voters, and around 23% of Guatemalan women are illiterate.
While voting is mandatory, no sanctions exist for non-participation. Abstention rates in 2019 were 38% in the first round and over 57% in the final round.
Despite controversy, 23 presidential candidates were approved by the TSE.
Thelma Cabrera, Roberto Arzú, and Carlos Pineda were disqualified, affecting the indigenous Maya, Podemos, and TikTok campaign representatives, respectively.
Top candidates for the runoff are Sandra Torres, Zury Ríos, and Edmund Mulet.
Zury Ríos, daughter of former dictator Efraín Ríos Montt, gained popularity after Pineda’s exclusion.
Her 4.40 Agenda is inspired by El Salvador’s security model.
Sandra Torres, the ex-wife of former President Álvaro Colom, aims to invest in education, reduce specific product taxes, and promote agriculture.
Edmund Mulet proposes a universal pension, free medication, support for mothers, and reducing the number of deputies to 80.
The election is crucial in determining the country’s future, and voter engagement will shape Guatemala’s leadership for the next term.
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