Guatemala elections process, too fast: Pundit

Press TV has conducted an interview with Roberto Antonio Wagner, a political commentator and university professor in Guatemala City, to discuss the presidential election in the Central American country of Guatemala. 

What follows is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Well looking at the situation, how critical is this election right now? We have seen on the one hand this corruption scandal that has swept the country and now we have seen a transition of sort basically with the president having to step down and now with this election that is going to take place. Can it actually bring political stability back to the country?   

Wagner: I do not think it can. I think that the process has been too fast. Just a few days ago the Guatemalans have been witnessing the juridical process that the former president is now facing due to this corruption charges that you well mentioned. And now we are entering a new election process which has been just too fast after the highly publicized case of the former president and now the elections. I think people are still hanging on to the demands and there is a lot of anger still with the whole political class.

Press TV: So why do you think that the powers that bid shows to have this election so fast after this has happened?

Wagner: Well I think that they did not have a choice. I think that the pressure coming also from the political parties in order to hold the elections and also the pressure from many sectors in Guatemala particularly and also some foreign sectors particularly the United States to go through the whole democratic transition process was too strong. But still I think that people, whether whoever is elected in the following process either today or if two candidates have to face off in a second round in a couple of months time, I think people are still going to be doing the same demands and taking on to the streets if the political class does not step up and stop corruption and be more transparent in the way they deal with public funds.

Press TV: Do you think in general this has brought about a sort of pessimism from the public in general about public political officials?

Wagner: Well yes. There is a lot of pessimism but then again there is more awareness and for the first time Guatemalans are taking to the streets and demanding better officials, demanding more transparency. So I think it is very positive in a certain way because in a way we have taken on to the executive power which pretty much imploded with the protest that the citizens have done and now it is congress. It has been congress’s turn that people are demanding that congressmen have a more transparent, a more dignified role in assuming their positions.

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