Creating Space for Democracy in Guatemala

The following post was written by Carolyn Purcell, UUSC board member and participant in our recent Election Monitoring JustJourney in Guatemala.

November 6, 2007

Polling for the national presidential elections in the rural town of Rabinal was marked by calm and a sense of hope. It was also run very efficiently. Poll workers arrived at the schools and city hall to set up their tables by 5 a.m. and began to receive voters at 7 a.m. They would be at their tables until 6 p.m. and work on the vote count until 8 p.m.

Many poll workers were public school teachers. We asked them why they volunteered for this post. They told us that it is their duty as teachers to prepare children to be full citizens and participate in the decisions of their country; facilitating voting is the necessary continuation of this duty and a statement of hope for Guatemalan democracy.

During our week in Guatemala, we were told that the changes underway in Guatemala are "creating space for democracy in Guatemala." We were moved by the courageous election observers, human right leaders, and activists who daily confront injustice and build democracy in Guatemala.