Paris, 29 August 2023 (TDI): France has extended its warm congratulations to Bernardo Arévalo and Karin Herrera on their election as President and Vice President of Guatemala, respectively.
The successful conduct of the presidential elections has drawn commendation from France as well as from other countries, which highlights the seamless nature of the electoral process.
The presidential elections in Guatemala, held on August 20, 2023, marked a significant step for the nation’s democracy.
The official results, announced on August 28, declared Bernardo Arévalo as the President-elect, and Karin Herrera as the Vice President-elect.
This outcome was met with enthusiasm by the people of Guatemala, as well as by international partners who have been closely monitoring the electoral proceedings.
France, in collaboration with its European partners, demonstrated its commitment to Guatemala by dispatching a European Union (EU) election observation mission to oversee the electoral process.
Moreover, President Alejandro Giammattei’s commitment to ensuring a smooth transition process has garnered support both domestically and internationally.
Also Read: Netherlands, EU commend peaceful election in Guatemala
Elections in Guatemala
On August 20, 2023, Guatemala held a second round of presidential elections and selected their next President and Vice President.
These elections followed the first-round presidential election held on June 25, 2023, with the country’s legislative, local, and Central American Parliament elections.
In the 2019 elections, there were 8,053,983 registered voters in Guatemala. This increased in the 2023 elections to 9,361,068 registered voters.
According to international bodies such as the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the past months and years have seen political retaliation against judges, prosecutors, journalists, and anti-corruption activists; the new government could enact the reforms and changes needed to set the country on another path.
The IFES urged the citizens of Guatemala to make their voices count amid concerns about the economy, security, and corruption at an all-time high.
