Elections and No Democracy in Guatemala Archives

In this archive, find articles and reports published every four years, or so, critiquing the charade of electoral democracy that keeps in power military-backed, repressive and corrupt “open for global business” regimes that maintain full military, diplomatic and economic relations with the U.S.-led “international community” (Canada, World Bank, IMF, global banks, investors and companies). Many of these articles were written by former colleague Annie Bird (annie@rightsandecology.org).

2003 October - “Elections But No Democracy in Guatemala”, by G. Russell

2011 April 27 - “The 2011 Guatemalan Elections - Democratic Only on the Surface”, by A. Bird

2011 April 27 - “U.S Government Glosses Over War Crimes Accusations Against Leading Guatemalan Presidential Candidate”, by A. Bird

2011 September 9 - “Elections in Guatemala Demonstrate a Failure in Guatemala’s 20 Year ‘Transition to Democracy’: A Genocide General is Posed to Win the Presidential Elections”, Rights Action Statement

2011 September 11 - Elections, and No Democracy; Article by A. Bird; Article by E. Smith

2011 November 7 - “‘Genocidal’ General Wins Presidential Elections in Guatemala”, by A. Bird

2011 December 27 - “Marching Towards the Past in Guatemala: A New Government Head by a ‘Genocidal’ General; an Army Trained by Former Kaibil Elite Forces, Some of Whom are Implicated in the Zetas Drug Cartel in Mexico”, by A. Bird

2012 January 16 - “Otto Perez Molina Inaugurated President of Guatemala: Days Earlier a Court Improperly Dismissed Charges Against Him of Forced Disappearance and Torture”, by A. Bird

2012 January 16 - “Guatemala: Reconciliation or Retrenchment? Upholding Human Rights in Guatemala Should be the U.S.’ First Priority to Avoid Its Past Mistakes”, Al Jazeera Article by L. Carasik

2012 May 4 - “Guatemala: Decriminalization? Don’t Believe the Hype”, Upsidedown World Article by D. Paley

2012 September 23 - “White Washing and Covering up for Genocide: Former President Bill Clinton to give a ‘special recognition’ to ‘genocidal general’, now President Otto Perez Molina of Guatemala”, Rights Action Public Letter

2014 April 29 - “Suppressing Dissent at Home and Abroad”, FPIF Article by P. Davis

2015 September 7 - “Guatemalan Presidential Candidate Linked with War Criminal”, Telesur Article

2015 October 23 - “Elections But No Democracy in Guatemala, Again”, Telesur Article by G. Russell

2016 January 13 - “The Charade of Electoral Democracy Continues in Guatemala”, Telesur Article by G. Russell

2019 June 14 - “Guatemala Elections Show Corruption Rampant Four Years After Uprising Toppled President: Backlash against anti-corruption efforts will have real consequences as Guatemala heads to the polls”, Guardian Article by N. Lakhani

2019 June 16 - “Thelma Cabrera: Indigenous, Female and Shaking Up Guatemala’s Election: The campesino leader is running for president in a country whose indigenous majority is chronically overlooked - and she has a chance of making the runoff”, Guardian Article by N. Lakhani

2020 January 14 - “ Guatemalans Demand Arrest of Outgoing President for Corruption: Jimmy Morales’ immunity will lapse for just a few hours on Tuesday before he’s sworn into Central American Parliament”, Al Jazeera Article by S. Cuffe

2020 January 21 - “Guatemala’s New President is More of the Same, Experts Say”, PRI Article by S. Cuffe

2020 November 24 - “Massive Protests in Guatemala Against President Giammattei and the Congress”, Left Voice Article

2023 February 8 - “Guatemalan Tribunal Bars Leftists Presidential Ticket From Ballot”, CommonDreams Article by J. Johnson

2023 March 5 - “Drug Traffickers, the Corrupt and the Daughter of a Genocide are Registered as Candidates for the Guatemalan Elections”, Prensa Comnunitaria Article by H. Silva Avalos

2023 March 10 - “Meet Thelma Cabrera, the Indigenous Leader Barred From Running in Guatemala’s Presidential Election”, DemocracyNow! Segment

2023 June 2 - The Only Purpose of “Elections” in Guatemala; El Faro News article by R. Gressier

2023 June 12 - “Olga Ché: From Q’eqchi’ Resistance Movements, to the Municipal Government Office of El Estor”, Prensa Comunitaria Article by E. Oxom

2024 March 18 - Bitter White-Washing of US Role in Guatemala by Author of “Bitter Fruit: The Untold Story of the American Coup in Guatemala”, by G. Russell