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

2023 July 3 - Guatemala Election Watch #1; “Bernardo Arevalo: ‘ The Corrupt are Afraid of the Will of the People”, Prensa Comunitaria Article by F. S. Francisco

2023 July 3 - Guatemala Election Watch #2; “CC Suspends Electoral Process, Calls for Review of Votes”, Prensa Comunitaria Article

2023 July 10 - Guatemala Election Watch #3; Electora re-count re-confirms Semilla Movement Party Success

2023 July 13 - Guatemala Election Watch #4; “Tension Over Coup Attempt in Guatemala”, Prensa Comunitaria Article by I. Espinoza and S. Rodríguez

2023 July 14 - Guatemala Election Watch #5; Corrupted “suspension” order defeated, provisionally!

2023 July 18 - Guatemala Election Watch #6; Semilla Party relaunches run-off campaign

2023 July 19 - Guatemala Election Watch #7; Corrupted Public Prosecutor’s Office orders arrest of Semilla Party members

2023 July 21 - Guatemala Election Watch #8; Illegal attempts to arrest Supreme Electoral Tribunal Official for not suspending Semilla Party

2023 July 24 - Guatemala Election Watch #9; “Electoral Coup D’Etat in Guatemala: A Democracy and Rule of Law Challenge for United States and Canada”, by G. Russell

2023 July 26 - Guatemala Election Watch #10; “US Calls on Guatemalan Authorities to Stop Aggression Against Democratic Freedoms”, Prensa Comunitaria Article by R. Perez

2023 July 28 - Guatemala Election Watch #11; “What is the Fear of the Corrupt?”, Angelica Choc speaks

2023 July 31 - Guatemala Election Watch #12; “Arevalo”, Prensa Comunitaria Article by S. T. Visquerra

2023 August 1 - Guatemala Election Watch #13; Bernardo Arevalo Speaks

2023 August 4 - Guatemala Election Watch #14; GHRC Speaks with Raúl Molina about Presidential Election Run-Off

2023 August 7 - Guatemala Election Watch #15; Semilla Party campaign attacked by corrupt regime, taking on corruption in campaign platform!

2023 August 9 - Guatemala Election Watch #16; “October and the Spring in Memory”, Prensa Comunitaria Article by M. A. Sandoval

2023 August 14 - Guatemala Election Watch #17; “Elections in Guatemala & the Global Mining Industry”, by G. Russell

2023 August 16 - Guatemala Election Watch #18; “We are the seeds inherited from our ancestors”, Rosa Elvira Cuc Speaks

2023 August 18 - Guatemala Election Watch #19; “US, Canada-Backed Guatemalan Elites Threaten Coup Amid Opposition Party Runoff”, Truthout Article by G. Russell and M. Bakal

2023 August 21 - Guatemala Election Watch #20; “Guatemalans Voted to End 69 Years of Corrupt Rule. Will US, Canada Accept it?” Truthout Article by G. Russell

2023 August 22 - Guatemala Election Watch #21; “A Turning Point in Guatemalan History: Berardo Arévalo Wins in Landslide Rejection of Ruling Elite”, DemocracyNow Segment with F. LaRue and A. Nairn

2023 August 26 - Guatemala Election Watch #22; “‘Plan Colosio’: Attempted Assassinations of Bernardo Arevalo and the Involvement of State Agents”, Plaza Publica Article by J. Garcia

2023 August 29 - Guatemala Election Watch #23; “Lawfare” attacks from corrupt Guatemalan government and legal system continue