Guatemala Bans Presidential Candidates Ahead of Elections

Guatemalan judges have banned four opposition presidential candidates from participating in elections this month, including the front-runner, in another development drawing criticism from the U.S. and other countries about democratic backsliding in the poor Central American country. 

During the June 25 election, Guatemalans will elect a new president and vice president, all the seats of Congress and mayors for more than 300 municipalities. 

Carlos Pineda, a businessman who cast himself as an outsider fighting a corrupt establishment, was the most recent presidential candidate to be excluded from participation, in late May. He was in first place, with 23% of support, according to a poll by newspaper Prensa Libre. Three other candidates from the opposition were barred earlier in the year. […]

In the congressional and mayoral races, four candidates have been sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky Act, which allows the U.S. government to impose economic sanctions on foreign officials involved in corruption or human-rights abuses, while another four are included in the Engel List of corrupt individuals who are barred entry into the U.S., The Wall Street Journal found. 

Another three are under investigation by Guatemalan prosecutors, with allegations ranging from bribery and embezzlement to links with drug cartels. 

“The corruption that courses through some of Guatemala’s government institutions is truly concerning and will be a continuing challenge for whoever is elected, ” said Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of the Americas, a think tank. “It will also remain a top priority for Washington.”…

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