Guatemala Elections
Riddled with Violence
Alvaro Colom, Guatemalan
Presidential candidate
for Unidad Nacional de
la Esperanza (UNE)
denounced the flaring
violence affecting the
country.
Colom urged a probe for
the slain of 14-year-old
Marta Cristina
Montenegro, daughter of
UNE legislative
candidate Hector
Montenegro, president of
the Association of
Senior Citizens.
Marta's death,
strangulated, rose to 20
the list of UNE slain
militants, activists or
relatives, being this
party the hardest hit in
the on going general
election race.
Guatemala ranks as one
of the most violent
countries in the
continent with more than
5,000 deaths a year and
a rate of 16 daily
murders.
Meanwhile a new poll by
Vox Latina firm for
Prensa Libre daily gives
Colom 22 percent lead,
followed by Otto Perez
Molina (Partido Patriota-PP)
with 17.50 percent.
Forerunner Colom pledged
to focus his policy on
fighting soaring
insecurity, creating
more jobs and
opportunity for the
youth and strengthening
the National Civilian
Police.
Yet, the analysts claim
that none candidate has
attracted the 5.9
million Guatemalans
registered to vote
September 9, showing
absence of massive
support so the winner is
to emerge in the
November 4 runoff.
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