Guatemala election, 2003

A General Election was held in Guatemala on 9 November 2003. Voters went to the polls to elect a new President (and Vice-President), a new legislature (deputies for the unicameral Congreso de la República), municipal governments, and Guatemala's deputies to the Central American Parliament.

Presidential Election

The ruling Republican Front of Guatemala nominated former military ruler Efraín Ríos Montt to succeed outgoing president Alfonso Portillo Cabrera. Ríos Montt's human rights record from his time in power (1982-83) led to strong opposition from both inside and outside the country. In the first round of voting, Ríos Montt came third behind the centrist mayor of Guatemala City, Óscar Berger, and the left-wing candidate Álvaro Colom. Since no candidate secured an absolute majority in this first round, a run-off vote between the top two candidates will be held on 28 December.

National Summary of Voting

Parties:

• FRG - Frente Republicano Guatemalteco (Republican Front of Guatemala)
• PP-MR-PSN - Partido Patriota, Movimiento Reformador, Partido Solidaridad Nacional (Patriotic Party, Reformist Movement, National Solidarity Party)
• UNE - Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza (National Union for Hope)

FIRST ROUND: 9 NOVEMBER 2003
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Candidate                          Party         Votes       %
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Óscar BERGER Perdomo               PP-MR-PSN     903,343     34.5
Álvaro COLOM Caballeros            UNE           694,082     26.5
Efraín RÍOS MONTT                  FRG           503,679     19.2
Others                                           520,046     19.8
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Total                                          2,621,150
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Source: Adam Carr's Election Archive, using figures from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal website.