GUATEMALA CITY — Guatemala’s largest military veteran organization endorsed presidential candidate Sandra Torres Tuesday after battling her during her first two bids for the presidency, showing just how far her progressive opponent’s surprise place in the runoff has shaken the country’s politics.
Torres and her hosts at the Guatemalan Military Veterans Association painted her opponent Bernardo Arévalo as a threat to the country’s democracy and families.
As she did during their first debate the previous night, Torres criticized Arévalo for not really knowing his country because he was born in Uruguay when his father, former President Juan José Arévalo, was in exile after the CIA-backed overthrow of his successor Jacobo Arbenz.
“Today more than ever Guatemala is in danger,” Torres said, warning that Arévalo would dissolve the army, legalize same-sex marriage and expropriate private property. “We don’t want communism in Guatemala.”
Arévalo, a lawmaker, academic and former diplomat, has not said he would do any of those things, but the threat played well with the veterans in the crowd, who cheered and chanted in response. Arévalo shocked observers when he won the second spot in the runoff during a first round of voting June 25, because his Seed Movement party had been polling at less than 3%.
Guatemalans will vote Sunday for Torres, who lost in runoffs twice already, or for the newcomer Arévalo.
Retired Col. Edwin González said the association represents some 380,000 veterans across Guatemala. “We’re talking about an important electoral force,” he said.
A Guatemalan Army veteran sings the national anthem during meeting with the UNE party presidential candidate Sandra Torres in Guatemala City, Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023. Torres will face Bernardo Arévalo of the Seed Movement party in an Aug. 20 runoff election. Credit: AP/Moises Castillo
When asked why the association was now praising Torres after working against her during two previous…
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