Former dictator draws most attention in Guatemalan election

Eleven candidates are on the ballot Sunday as Guatemalans vote for president. But most of the attention, both by Guatemalans and the international press, is going to the man known as El General, Ríos Montt, president of the Guatemalan Congress. Human rights observers are fearful of Montt, who came to power in a coup in 1982 and led a "scorched earth" counterinsurgency campaign that killed thousands of indígenas, as those of Mayan descent are known. He himself was ousted by a coup in 1983, although he has continued to wield political influence.
 
Polls indicate that Montt is in a strong third place, although the race is close enough that, in the words of the Guatemala City newspaper Prensa Libre, "sólo Dios sabe quién va a ganar (only God knows who will win)."
 
To learn more about the Guatemalan election, read a profile of the candidates (in Spanish) by Reuters Latin America, or check out our directory of Latin American online news, which includes three new listings for Guatemala.