Election Results

So the results are in! Yesterday was the run off elections for the Guatemalan Presidency. Talking with lots of friends over the last week or so, the consensus seemed to be that it boiled down to '2 candidates, no choice!' - ie that both candidates were so unappealing, that it was difficult even to decide which might be the lesser of two evils. I know a few friends who were planning to ruin their voting papers. In fact the official results say that 4% of those who voted did exactly that.
But at the end of the day, Otto Perez Molino, the ex Army General, has won with 54% of the vote and will become President on the 14th Jan. This has followed the pattern of recent years - of the candidate who comes second, will win in the following election 4 years later. (Which means that we might get Baldizon back in 4 years time, if things continue as they have done!)
Now everyone comes to think about the changes coming. This isn´t just about changes to political policy, but also to personel in almost every area of the public sector. New government, new everything. This is one of the challenges of a country which prohibits a second term - a lack of consistency in policy and personel.
Yet in neighbouring Nicaragua, they have also been voting. President Daniel Ortega, managed to change the constitutional rules a couple of years ago, allowing him to stand for a second term. According to early results from their election, he´s on course to win, and yet is also surrounded to accusations of fraud and election irregularities.
Perhaps it doesn´t matter what the rules are. Those that want power, and are willing to do almost anything to get it - usually do.