Election Results in Guatemala
I found out about the results of the election in Guatemala on my break yesterday in a maybe 500-word article at the back of the Times Colonist. Last month, it had come down to a runoff between Colom, a centrist (whose campaign photos made him look like a droopy-eyed puppy), and Molina, the most right-wing candidate and head of army intelligence during the war. The reuslts are in; Colom won.
I find it interesting that the people I have told this to have all asked the same question: "so things are going to get better now, right?" Well, no. Not really. The last president was also a centrist. "Centrist" in Latin America usually just means "funded by drug lords." Who, hey, are preferable to the army, but this is more a maintenance of the status quo than a real sign of change. All it means is that things will not be getting much worse in short order. For a real change to happen, the grassroots leftists will have to gain more support among the majority whose lives are ruled by the rich and powerful.
But it's still a good thing that the fascists lost. Congratulations, Colom! Maybe you'll surprise us. There's always hope.
Otra Guatemala es posible.
I find it interesting that the people I have told this to have all asked the same question: "so things are going to get better now, right?" Well, no. Not really. The last president was also a centrist. "Centrist" in Latin America usually just means "funded by drug lords." Who, hey, are preferable to the army, but this is more a maintenance of the status quo than a real sign of change. All it means is that things will not be getting much worse in short order. For a real change to happen, the grassroots leftists will have to gain more support among the majority whose lives are ruled by the rich and powerful.
But it's still a good thing that the fascists lost. Congratulations, Colom! Maybe you'll surprise us. There's always hope.
Otra Guatemala es posible.