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.
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.
The resignation of Guatemala’s President Otto Pérez Molina following the issuing of an arrest warrant against him for corruption is a positive step towards strengthening democracy and rule of law there, said the International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC.
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.
Guatemala's attorney general said on Wednesday she is confident embattled President Otto Perez will be convicted of corruption, as the country's top court rejected his challenge to prosecutors' moves to try him.
Guatemala's Congress voted Tuesday to strip embattled President Otto Perez's immunity, clearing the way for him to be prosecuted over allegations he masterminded a multi-million-dollar corruption scheme.
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.
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.
A Guatemalan judge ruled Wednesday that former vice president Roxana Baldetti must remain in jail pending trial on charges of defrauding the customs service of millions of dollars. Judge Miguel Angel Galvez said he considered it prudent to deny bail to Baldetti, whom prosecutors and a special UN investigative commission accuses her of masterminding a customs bribery ring along with President Otto Perez.
Guatemalan President Otto Perez said he will not resign and rejected allegations that he was one of the ringleaders of a corruption scandal shaking the country.