Signs of Hope in Guatemala

Here in Guatemala, we've arrived as a 21-person delegation sponsored by UUSC to accompany UUSC's partner, the Maya-Achi Association for Holistic Development (ADIVIMA), as well as other allies, to observe the current election process. This was the run-off presidential election of Guatemala, and the two candidates were Alvaro Colom from the National Unity for Hope and General Otto Perez-Molina from the Patriotic Party.

November 3, Rabinal, Baja Verapaz. Juan de Dios Garcia, director of ADIVIMA, receives us and proudly shares that after a year of negotiations the Guatemalan government is about to start the identification and verification process to determine reparations for the indigenous people displaced by the construction of the Chixoy Dam. The negotiations have been conducted at the highest of levels: the government, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank, with the mediation of the Organization of American States. "We don't want individual payment for those affected. What we want is to create a fund for the design and implementation of a local development plan that will benefit us all", says Juan de Dios.

Nov 4, Rabinal, Baja Verapaz. Election Day. The day was calm and although there was low turnout in the morning, by 6 p.m. when the polls closed, we were looking at a turnout of about 40 percent. No acts of violence were reported. As we watched the tallying of the vote, the difference between the amounts won by the two presidential candidates was minimal. At about nine o'clock, when the first preliminary results from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal were announced, Rabinal had voted for General Perez-Molina, of the Patriotic Party. But the country results showed Alvaro Colom, from the National Unity for Hope, had won.

Nov 5th, Antigua, Guatemala. Alvaro Pop, indigenous political analyst, shares his views: "For the first time in the history of Guatemala, the election was won with the rural vote, the indigenous vote.

"There has been a break in Guatemala with this election. I firmly believe we won't have another military regime elected. In the next two terms we will witness the emergence of indigenous leadership that will surprise us all."