Watson Coleman: “the people of Guatemala went to the polls on November 9 to elect a new President, Members of the Guatemalan Parliament…”

“the people of Guatemala went to the polls on November 9 to elect a new President, Members of the Guatemalan Parliament, local officials, and representatives to the Central American Parliament. These elections attracted attention, in large part, due to the candidacy of Efrain Rios Montt, a former coup leader who under the Guatemalan constitution should have been banned from running for the Presidency all together. Rios Montt presided over a troubled part of Guatemala's history, during which time too many innocent lives were lost. Now these elections were not perfect. Long lines and confusion over where to vote made it difficult for many Guatemalans to express their political views. Some polling stations stayed open for as long as 5 hours after they were scheduled to close; other did not. The time period leading up to the elections was marked by violence and intimidation linked to some Rios Montt supporters. But in the end, these were important and hopeful elections for a number of reasons. Rios Montt was defeated in the ballot box--and he accepted defeat. The willingness of losers to accept defeat is one sign of a maturing democracy. And the result of this defeat for Rios Montt should not be overlooked; he will lose his immunity from prosecution for crimes committed under his watch.”