Elections & no democracy in Guatemala

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