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Guatemalans Ousted President Otto Pérez Molina. Now What? Guatemalans Ousted President Otto Pérez Molina. Now What?
(about 14 hours later)
GUATEMALA CITY — Sergio Bacini is a music producer, a tattoo artist and a D.J. When the five-month protest movement that swept out Guatemala’s president last week seemed to flag during the summer, he knew how it revive it: He organized a rock concert. GUATEMALA CITY — Sergio Bacini is a music producer, a tattoo artist and a D.J. When the five-month protest movement that swept out Guatemala’s president last week seemed to flag during the summer, he knew how to revive it: He organized a rock concert.
A popular local band, Alux Nahual, headlined the daylong festival, playing to crowds massed in the central plaza where Guatemalans had been demonstrating since April against their government’s corruption and dysfunction.A popular local band, Alux Nahual, headlined the daylong festival, playing to crowds massed in the central plaza where Guatemalans had been demonstrating since April against their government’s corruption and dysfunction.
The protesters have won the first round by ousting the president. But protest movements often fizzle after the euphoria of early victory, and Guatemala’s will likely need more than rock concerts to keep it going. “Now more than ever, we have to continue applying pressure, and the activists have to keep agitating so that this movement holds on and doesn’t fall away,” said Mr. Bacini, 25.The protesters have won the first round by ousting the president. But protest movements often fizzle after the euphoria of early victory, and Guatemala’s will likely need more than rock concerts to keep it going. “Now more than ever, we have to continue applying pressure, and the activists have to keep agitating so that this movement holds on and doesn’t fall away,” said Mr. Bacini, 25.
Otto Pérez Molina, the retired general who resigned as president, will return to a courtroom on Tuesday, when a judge will decide whether he must stand trial on charges that he ran a vast customs fraud ring. A suddenly diminished figure, he is already old news, though, as people look ahead to presidential and congressional elections on Sunday. Otto Pérez Molina, the retired general who resigned as president, will return to a courtroom on Tuesday, when a judge will decide whether he must stand trial on charges that he ran a vast customs fraud ring. A suddenly diminished figure, he was already old news, though, as people headed to the polls on Sunday for presidential and congressional elections.
But those elections offer no comfort to the protesters because the candidates are drawn from the same political establishment they are fighting. Instead, the months of protest unleashed other demands aimed at transforming Guatemala’s government — calls for electoral reform, for anticorruption measures, for independent judges, among other things. The challenge now, as the protesters see it, is to keep up the energy on the streets for decidedly more complex issues than the past months’ straightforward banner: “Resign Now.”But those elections offer no comfort to the protesters because the candidates are drawn from the same political establishment they are fighting. Instead, the months of protest unleashed other demands aimed at transforming Guatemala’s government — calls for electoral reform, for anticorruption measures, for independent judges, among other things. The challenge now, as the protesters see it, is to keep up the energy on the streets for decidedly more complex issues than the past months’ straightforward banner: “Resign Now.”
“If we have a new government and we don’t have legal reforms, then we will continue in the same game with the same puppet,” Mr. Bacini said.“If we have a new government and we don’t have legal reforms, then we will continue in the same game with the same puppet,” Mr. Bacini said.
Martín Rodriguéz Pellecer, the editor of Nómada, an online magazine, argued that the protest movement did not need to be out on the streets every weekend to push forward a new agenda.Martín Rodriguéz Pellecer, the editor of Nómada, an online magazine, argued that the protest movement did not need to be out on the streets every weekend to push forward a new agenda.
“It can be reactivated in times of crisis,” he said. “That is the most hopeful thing.”“It can be reactivated in times of crisis,” he said. “That is the most hopeful thing.”
The political turmoil caused by the accusations against Mr. Pérez Molina has thrown the election’s outcome into uncertainty. Corruption allegations swirl around the longtime front-runner, Manuel Baldizón, a political boss from the northern jungle region of Petén, and he has lost strength in the polls.The political turmoil caused by the accusations against Mr. Pérez Molina has thrown the election’s outcome into uncertainty. Corruption allegations swirl around the longtime front-runner, Manuel Baldizón, a political boss from the northern jungle region of Petén, and he has lost strength in the polls.
With nobody expected to win 50 percent, the election is likely to head to a runoff on Oct. 25.With nobody expected to win 50 percent, the election is likely to head to a runoff on Oct. 25.
But Mr. Baldizón’s continued presence is likely to keep the protests going, Mr. Rodriguéz predicted. “The citizens’ movement will continue all next year until Baldizón is in jail,” he said.But Mr. Baldizón’s continued presence is likely to keep the protests going, Mr. Rodriguéz predicted. “The citizens’ movement will continue all next year until Baldizón is in jail,” he said.
It was Mr. Baldizón’s party, Lider, that killed the first reform effort to come out of the protest movement. Civil society groups, including human rights organizations and transparency groups, and universities succeeded in negotiating legislation to regulate election spending and stop legislators from jumping parties, among other measures.It was Mr. Baldizón’s party, Lider, that killed the first reform effort to come out of the protest movement. Civil society groups, including human rights organizations and transparency groups, and universities succeeded in negotiating legislation to regulate election spending and stop legislators from jumping parties, among other measures.
But at the last minute, Lider filed a court challenge on a technicality after the law was approved. The new law died.But at the last minute, Lider filed a court challenge on a technicality after the law was approved. The new law died.
Changing new laws may not be enough, argued Manfredo Marroquín, the director of Citizen Action, the Guatemalan branch of Transparency International. It is the people who enforce them who have to change, he said. “We have 21st-century laws and 19th-century politicians. We need new practices.”Changing new laws may not be enough, argued Manfredo Marroquín, the director of Citizen Action, the Guatemalan branch of Transparency International. It is the people who enforce them who have to change, he said. “We have 21st-century laws and 19th-century politicians. We need new practices.”
Guatemala’s conflicts are so acute, including the marginalization of indigenous communities and long-running battles over mines and hydroelectric power plants, that only a whole new kind of politics can deal with them, Mr. Marroquín said. “Until the system finds a leadership that establishes stability and resolves those problems, the crisis will be latent,” he said.Guatemala’s conflicts are so acute, including the marginalization of indigenous communities and long-running battles over mines and hydroelectric power plants, that only a whole new kind of politics can deal with them, Mr. Marroquín said. “Until the system finds a leadership that establishes stability and resolves those problems, the crisis will be latent,” he said.
Pointing to the 2011 Spanish anti-austerity protest movement that has now transformed into a rising political party, Podemos, Mr. Marroquín said that Guatemala’s mass movement should also evolve into a political party. Activists still hope it will be possible to push some changes through the lame-duck Congress before a new president and Congress take office on Jan. 14.Pointing to the 2011 Spanish anti-austerity protest movement that has now transformed into a rising political party, Podemos, Mr. Marroquín said that Guatemala’s mass movement should also evolve into a political party. Activists still hope it will be possible to push some changes through the lame-duck Congress before a new president and Congress take office on Jan. 14.
The interim conservative president, Alejandro Maldonado, 79, said in a speech on Friday that he would dedicate his government to achieving “transparency” and “purity” and laid out a list of problems he planned to tackle in just four months: education, security, health and public debt.The interim conservative president, Alejandro Maldonado, 79, said in a speech on Friday that he would dedicate his government to achieving “transparency” and “purity” and laid out a list of problems he planned to tackle in just four months: education, security, health and public debt.
Not everybody is convinced that he has the political will to make any real change. Helen Mack, a longtime human rights and political activist who has been among those meeting with legislators to press for new laws, said civic groups would push the interim government to clean up the budget, revise public contracts and eliminate phantom government positions, where somebody collects a salary for doing no work.Not everybody is convinced that he has the political will to make any real change. Helen Mack, a longtime human rights and political activist who has been among those meeting with legislators to press for new laws, said civic groups would push the interim government to clean up the budget, revise public contracts and eliminate phantom government positions, where somebody collects a salary for doing no work.
And on the street, protesters say they are ready to continue the fight.And on the street, protesters say they are ready to continue the fight.
“We’ve shown we, the people, have the power, but other things haven’t changed,” said Isabela Saenz, 54, a development expert protesting with a women’s rights group outside the electoral tribunal on Friday.“We’ve shown we, the people, have the power, but other things haven’t changed,” said Isabela Saenz, 54, a development expert protesting with a women’s rights group outside the electoral tribunal on Friday.
“They still have their cars, helicopters and estates, their businesses in Miami,” Ms. Saenz said. She ticked off Guatemala’s sources of wealth: beer, bananas, cardamom, coffee, sugar. “Where’s that money gone?” she asked. “Where’s the taxes?”“They still have their cars, helicopters and estates, their businesses in Miami,” Ms. Saenz said. She ticked off Guatemala’s sources of wealth: beer, bananas, cardamom, coffee, sugar. “Where’s that money gone?” she asked. “Where’s the taxes?”
“What we want is a new constitution,” she said. There was similar determination Friday evening at a meeting of young technology entrepreneurs drinking beers and swapping plans.“What we want is a new constitution,” she said. There was similar determination Friday evening at a meeting of young technology entrepreneurs drinking beers and swapping plans.
Rodrigo Morales, 19, and Kenneth Martínez, 18, both technology students voting for the first time, had joined a protest to demand that Lider’s party registration be revoked. Mr. Baldizón has ignored all limits on campaign spending and seems immune to punishment. “If we don’t do this, nobody else will,” Mr. Martínez said. “We are giving our first vote, and we want to do it right.”Rodrigo Morales, 19, and Kenneth Martínez, 18, both technology students voting for the first time, had joined a protest to demand that Lider’s party registration be revoked. Mr. Baldizón has ignored all limits on campaign spending and seems immune to punishment. “If we don’t do this, nobody else will,” Mr. Martínez said. “We are giving our first vote, and we want to do it right.”
The only problem, the young men said, is that there is nobody they want to vote for.The only problem, the young men said, is that there is nobody they want to vote for.
“Who knows where it’s going,” said Kyle Passarelli, 37, who runs a software company. “For all I know, the placards could be out, asking for the resignation of the next president.”“Who knows where it’s going,” said Kyle Passarelli, 37, who runs a software company. “For all I know, the placards could be out, asking for the resignation of the next president.”