Moderate Says He Won Vote in Guatemala

Christian Democrat Vinicio Cerezo Arevalo declared victory today in presidential runoff elections that will end 31 years of military-dominated rule.

“Now, yes, I am the president-elect of Guatemala,” Cerezo said, entering the packed election headquarters at the Camino Real Hotel amid shouts from supporters of “Long live Vinicio.”

Cerezo, a harsh critic of army rule, tallied 761,510 votes, or 68.5%, with two-thirds of the ballots counted from Sunday’s election. His opponent, Jorge Carpio of the center-right Union of the National Center, compiled 350,606 votes, or 31.5%.

Carpio conceded defeat at the headquarters, saying, “We recognize this electoral triumph.” He said his party would adopt the role of a “constructive and watchful” opposition.

Cerezo congratulated Carpio for creating the second-strongest political force in Guatemala and praised the army for “playing one of the greatest roles in the country’s history” by carrying out the elections.

A team of 20 American observers said they hoped the military’s “exemplary conduct” during the elections “will become the standard by which it performs its new and different role as the servant of a civilian democracy.”

“We believe the election itself sends a strong message to the rest of the world . . . which says the Guatemalan people want a role in determining their destiny,” said a statement read by the team chairmen, Sen. Mark O. Hatfield (R-Ore.) and Rep. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.).

Guatemala’s last civilian president was Julio Mendez Montenegro, whose administration was under strong military pressure during his term, which ended in 1970.

The current president, Gen. Oscar Mejia Victores, took power in a coup and has vowed to turn over the presidency to a civilian on inauguration day, Jan. 14.

Cerezo, 42, has survived at least three assassination attempts by right-wing death squads and has long been a critic of army rule.