Comedian Elected As President of Guatemala

A television comedian and actor, who never held any political office or had any real course of actions, became the president of Guatemala in a run-off election with almost 70% of the votes, beating a former first lady representing the establishment for many voters.

Former first lady Sandra Torres conceded the race after official results showed her with about 32 per cent of the vote.

“He is a clean candidate, and presumably he is honest”, said Rodolfo Mancilla, 64, a doctor, as he voted in Guatemala City. “Because Guatemala has made a choice that it wants a change”, Morales said.

Yet, Jimmy might have to grin and bear it, as his National Convergence Party’s only has a minority postion in Guatemala’s Congress. Corruption, crime, extreme income inequality and the chronic malnourishment of nearly half of the country’s children have plagued Guatemala for years; Morales will have to make serious headway to alleviate Guatemala from its shaky political history.

“He (Morales) has no program and no team”, Hugo Novales, a Guatemalan political analyst, told TIME. “My commitment remains to God and the Guatemalan people, and I will work with all my heart and strength not to defraud you”. He adopted the campaign slogan, “Not corrupt, not a thief”.

One investigation found that former President Perez and his vice president were at the centre of the customs scam.

Mr Perez was impeached, deprived of his presidential immunity and arrested in September.

Voters voiced concern about the political situation as they cast their ballots.

During his presidential campaign Morales garnered great support from Guatemalan immigrants, promising to serve not only the 15 million Guatemalans at home but also the 2 million who reside in the United States.

“The people already showed their rejection of corruption (in the previous vote) where they kicked politicians out”, Zepeda said. Those former soldiers participated on the government side of a brutal civil war that led to widespread human rights abuses, and mass killings that Morales has said can not be considered genocide.

Others worry about the policy agenda of the onetime theology student, who has promised to hand out smartphones to kids and revive a territorial dispute with neighbouring Belize.

Jimmy Morales, an entertainer who used to have his own show and was recognized for his crude humor, had no political experience whatsoever, and his policy ideas were what one might call eccentric.

His manifesto is only six pages – giving few indications as to how he might run the country – but he is known to favour low taxes and limited government.