Presidential Candidates Prepare for Runoff Vote
With nearly 65% of the ballots counted in Guatemala’s presidential election, former Guatemala City Mayor Oscar Berger had 38.4% of the vote, compared with 27.6% for center-left candidate Alvaro Colom. Retired Gen. Efrain Rios Montt, a former dictator accused of human rights abuses, was trailing with 16.9%.
To avoid a second vote, one candidate had to poll more than 50% -- something no one has done since Guatemala became a democracy in 1996.
Colom and Berger have already launched their campaigns for a second round of voting, tentatively set for Dec. 28.
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