Elections

It's election season in Guatemala, leading up to the Presidential elections in October. There are political posters everywhere. There's very little that attempts to explain policies or real plans for government. Mostly they are simply a photo of the candidate, occasionally with a slogan. If the focus isn't on policies or promises, it has been on the attempts of the candidates themselves just to get to this stage. The big controversy surrounds Alvaro Colom (the present President's) wife. The Guatemalan constitution does not permit the same person - or any close family member- to stand for Presidency for more than one term. Throughout his term in power, there has been ongoing criticism that it was Sandra Torres de Colom, the President's wife, who really had the power. Earlier this year, she declared that she wished to stand in this election. In order to do that she has got divorced! (Only slightly extreme in a country like Guatemala).

But the Supreme Electoral Court has refused to accept her candidacy, despite several appeals. The final list of Presidential candidates will be clear at the end of this week. There's likely to be 15 or so candidates. Amongst them is the winner of a Noble Prize for peace, an ex military general, and an ex pastor of one of Guatemalas mega churches. Another is promising to legalise drugs, in an attempt to regain power from the gangs. Whether any of them will offer a change to the worsening situation of violence in Guatemala remains to be seen.

Of course it's not an easy decision to even stand for public office in Guatemala, and it takes real courage. At the same time as the Presidential elections, Guatemalans will also be voting for Mayors, and departmental 'deputados'. In one area, 3 mayoral candidates have already been shot dead, and another candidate arrested in connection with these deaths. Another candidate is offering 200 CCTV cameras for the town, and showed off 50 of them during his campaign.

Whatever happens, there's a huge challenge for the church in Guatemala to work out a Christian response, and to stand for justice and truth in the midst of the controversy and corruption.