By Rafael Rojas (Confidencial)
HAVANA TIMES – Bernardo Arevalo and his political party Movimiento Semilla won a broad and clean victory in Guatemala’s last election. In the runoff held on August 20th of this year, Arevalo and his party received 60.9% of the votes, while his opponent, Sandra Torres of the Unidad Nacional de Esperanza party, came away with 39.1%.
Two months previously, however, in June’s Congressional elections, Semilla only won 11% of the votes for legislative seats. An alliance made up of the party of current president Alejandro Giammettei and right-wing legislator Manuel Conde (Vamos por una Guatemala Diferente), plus Torres’ party, won 30% of the seats in the Legislative Power. That advantage, plus the support of some minor parties, will make up a clear parliamentary majority.
In Guatemala, the Congressional majority controls the Judicial Branch. Between the two bodies – Congress and the Court system, including the Supreme Court – they’ve decided to take advantage of the prolonged lapse between the August elections and the January 14 inauguration to try t
