Tag: Guatemala elections 2015

• Saturday, January 16th 2016 - 10:42 UTC

  Guatemalan president Morales tells the military he wants “justice, not revenge”

  

  Guatemala's new president, Jimmy Morales, said on Friday he wants “justice, not revenge” in reference to ex-army personnel accused of atrocities during his country's 1960-1996 civil war. Following an armed forces ceremony recognizing him as commander-in-chief just one day after he was sworn in, Morales added that he did not want to see action that would “prejudice” the country's values.

• Tuesday, October 27th 2015 - 07:55 UTC

  Comedian cowboy who wanted to become president, finally makes it in Guatemala

  

  Comedian Jimmy Morales won a landslide victory in Guatemala's presidential race Sunday despite having no political experience, after a campaign upended by a corruption scandal that felled the outgoing president. Morales, a comic actor and TV personality, declared victory after election officials released the resounding results: 68% of the vote for the conservative candidate to 32% for former first lady Sandra Torres.

• Wednesday, September 16th 2015 - 09:09 UTC

  Guatemalan runoff on 25 October between a comedian and a former first lady

  

  Guatemalan officials confirmed Tuesday that comedian and surprise presidential frontrunner Jimmy Morales will face former first lady Sandra Torres in a run-off on October 25. The announcement capped a dramatic first-round vote rocked by the outgoing president's resignation and arrest on corruption charges, and a down-to-the-wire battle for the second spot in the run-off.

• Wednesday, September 9th 2015 - 07:18 UTC

  Guatemala former president to face prosecution for a customs fraud scandal

  

  Former Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina will face prosecution for his alleged role in a customs fraud scandal that has rocked the country for months, a federal judge announced on Tuesday. The decision comes just days after Perez Molina resigned from office amid growing national outrage over corruption in the government.

• Tuesday, September 8th 2015 - 05:39 UTC

  Guatemala: Cowboy “Neto” leads on promises to clean the town of corruption

  

  A comedian who played a simpleton cowboy who almost became president emerged Monday as the man to beat in Guatemala's presidential race amid disgust over a corruption scandal that felled the outgoing incumbent.

• Monday, September 7th 2015 - 09:25 UTC

  Guatemala first results indicate a presidential run-off next October 25

  

  A former television comic, a wealthy businessman and a former first lady were ahead in early returns in voting for Guatemala's next leader, days after the Central American nation's president resigned over a corruption scandal. With about 51% percent of polling stations reporting early Monday, TV comedian Jimmy Morales, who has never held elective office, was leading with 26.5% of the vote.

• Saturday, September 5th 2015 - 06:55 UTC

  Unpredictable Sunday: outraged Guatemala goes to the polls and is furious with its political system

  

  Protesters railed on Friday against Guatemala's disgraced ex-president Otto Perez outside his court hearing on corruption allegations Friday, two days before elections that have been upended by his resignation and jailing.

• Friday, September 4th 2015 - 08:47 UTC

  Maldonado swears as new Guatemala president; predecessor in jail

  

  Guatemala's Congress swore in former judge Alejandro Maldonado as president Thursday as his disgraced predecessor appeared in court over corruption allegations hours after resigning in the face of unprecedented protests.

• Tuesday, September 1st 2015 - 06:17 UTC

  Guatemalan president holds on: congress to vote this week on his removal

  

  Guatemalan President Otto Perez said on Monday he is calm and confident he has done nothing wrong, as lawmakers debated stripping his immunity and forcing him to face prosecution on corruption charges.

• Saturday, August 29th 2015 - 05:13 UTC

  Guatemalan president summoned to appear before Congress

  

  A congressional commission considering whether to remove Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina's immunity from prosecution called on him Friday to appear before the body as a corruption scandal swirls around his government.