According to CNN on Monday morning, October 26, 2015, the comedian-turned politician Jimmy Morales was elected president of Guatemala with more than 69% of the votes. Former first lady Sandra Torres conceded with 31% of the votes.
Morales responded to critics who doubted his ability to lead the country: “I have been asked if we have the capacity to govern, and we have been emphatic in saying that alone–no–but with the blessing of God, and the support of the people, we are sure that yes, we can. Because Guatemala has made a choice that it wants a change.
The president, vice president, and more than a dozen Cabinet members, ministers and government officials were forced to resign in the wake of a corruption scandal that brought thousands of people into the streets in protest.
We in the U.S. who are concerned about conditions of people in Guatemala, including those conditions that force people to take the difficult and risky journey to the U.S. to try to find safety and a better life, need to constantly educate ourselves about our government’s role in creating those conditions, and supporting the corrupt leaders who are being forced out. The U.S. collusion with Mexico to stop frightened people from crossing the Mexican border as they try to get to the U.S. is outrageous and must be ended. We need to stop building walls and throwing away money on Border Patrols and work with the new leadership of Guatemala to ensure that the citizens can live in their homeland with dignity and safety.