«Hope» has won in Guatemala
November 7, 2007
After a lengthy period of the civil war (1960-1996) in Guatemala, in its «democratic epoch» the country was ruled by presidents of right-conservative views, including the last one – Oscar Berger.
The politician of left convictions will head Guatemala for the first time since dethronement of J. Arbenz in 1954 as a result of conspiracy of Guatemalan oligarchs and the United States.
Alvaro Colom has gained victory over his rival from the right sector Otto Perez Molina (Partido Patriota) with little lead in 4-5% of votes. The difference does not seem very big, but if we consider the dominating position of the right in the economy, politics, mass media, - this is a great success of the left range of the political forces, trade union and Indian organisations. They managed to defeat the candidate from oligarchs and the USA, retired general, who was welcomed in the highest bodies of Washington with manifest cordiality.
Without a doubt Colom will have to face a complicated «four-year period» while implementing ambitious plans of social reforms, improvement of state health care system, education, constriction of peoples dwellings.
In Guatemala the situation with fighting the crime is not very well, by the way, because of it, in the period of the election campaign the party of Colom suffered most of all having lost 16 activists. Previous governments failed to bar crime and drug trafficking.
Great efforts will have to be taken to establishing the coordination with the parliament in which his party has only 36 out of 158 seats. The rest are divided between representatives of 14 parties. Cooperation with them is one of the prime tasks for Colom and his team.
It is expected that Colom will pay special attention to democratisation of the country, involvement of Indian population, the majority of which lives in complete poverty, in active politic and economic life.
In foreign policy no special innovations from the side of Colom are expected. Relations with the United States will hardly radically change, owing to traditional orientation of Guatemala towards the «Northern neighbour». One should not expect closer relations of Colom with leaders of «populist regimes» in the region. Colom has always been distinguished by the fact that as a politician he did not permit himself abrupt «bodily movements», having set before himself realistically achievable goals.