Tuesday, October 27, 2015. Aaron Humes Reporting: While Jimmy Morales is fairly in as President of Guatemala, Prime Minister Dean Barrow and his United Democratic Party still have an election to win.
There is no clear leader going into the final week of campaigning, and the temperature has started to rise.
There have been allegations of intimidation against election officials including Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai; the burning of Cayo South UDP candidate Ralph Huang’s Camalote office; the brawl in Progresso Village, Corozal that introduced a dangerous element into the already simmering cauldron there; and that infamous bag of passports left behind in a San Ignacio printing store.
While they may all appear not to be related, in fact, says Barrow, they are all much ado about nothing. Concerning the visiting OAS election observers for next Wednesday, he says they will validate internationally what everyone has always known, that Belize’s elections are peaceful, free and fair.
PM Barrow said that Huang’s loss is regrettable but he expects that both the major political parties will keep their supporters cool and there will be no further incidents in the lead-up to the elections. As for the passports, they are of no matter; the voters’ list is set as of September 10 and no one else can get on.
87 candidates will contest the 2015 General Elections.