Mexico City, Aug. 29, (dpa/GNA) – Guatemala’s electoral authority has officially confirmed the victory of leftist candidate Bernardo Arévalo in the presidential election on August 20.
Progressive anti-corruption campaigner Arévalo, of the Movimiento Semilla (Seed Movement) party, won the run-off with 60.91% of the votes, the Supreme Electoral Court announced on Monday. The former first-lady Sandra Torres, who has so far not acknowledged her defeat, came to 39.09%.
However, the outcome of the election is far from decided. Arévalo’s party was suspended for the time being at the request of a judge shortly before the final results were announced.
An electoral court authority decided on Monday to revoke Movimiento Semilla’s legal status for the time being because of alleged irregularities in its formation. The party now has three days to appeal.
The same electoral judges who confirmed Arévalo’s victory will have to decide on the party’s future.
The election process was overshadowed by attempts by the political elite and the attorney general’s office to stop 64-year-old Arévalo’s ascent by legal means.
Five days after the run-off, Torres’ defeated centre-left National Unity of Hope (UNE) party had already challenged the vote count.
The party filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office for alleged electoral fraud.
Arévalo is due to take office on January 14 as the successor to conservative incumbent Alejandro Giammattei, who due to term limits was not allowed to run again.
GNA