Guatemala City. Guatemala’s First Lady Sandra Torres de Colon has announced yesterday that she will be run for president. Today, in her first press conference as a potential candidate, Sandra Torres de Colom explained that she does not seek confrontation; instead she is open to dialogue and calls upon the political parties for national unity and to avoid the polarization of the country.
She stated that the Social Cohesion programs implemented by the government of Alvaro Colom are a success. She described that now the other political parties all have included the social programs in their future plan of government and their political propaganda. She reiterated that the people who had opposed the social programs the most are now using them as a political instrument.
She addressed the need of a fiscal reform to finance a comprehensive government budget. Sandra Torres de Colon did not answer the questions if she would divorce her husband President Alvaro Colom to be able be a presidential candidate.
Her announcement has created a wide media response. The most important point of discussion is the constitutional ban prohibiting close relatives of the head of state to seek the presidency.
Media spots announcing her candidacy started last night in Guatemalan radio, TV and cable stations.
President Alvaro Colom has announced that his wife will no longer be present at official government functions now that she has announced her candidacy, he also stated that he wishes that the candidacy of his wife will not turn into a media circus.
If elected, Sandra Torres will succeed her husband Alvaro Coloma in the post. Her lawyers oppose the constitutional ban saying that it opposes the legitimate right of any Guatemalan to elect and be elected to high government posts.
Present at the press conference with the First Lady, where the members of the executive committee of the UNE party (Partido de Union Nacional).
The Constitutional Court in Guatemala is currently in the election process of new magistrates that will be elected for office for 5 years. The election process of new magistrates has shown ominous signs of political pressures of different power sector of Guatemala. Serious concerns exist that the new magistrates elected will be defending the interests of political parties and will not be impartial. The Constitutional Court of Guatemala is the highest legal authority that decides the legitimacy of the presidential candidates and interprets the Guatemalan constitution.
The other presidential candidates whose legitimacy is questioned is Ex- President and current major of Guatemala City, Alvaro Arzu. Congresswomen Zury Rios Mont, the daughter of ex-general and military dictator Efraín Rios Mont. Haroldo Caballeros the leader of the VIVA party is considered questionable because he is the religious leader of the Shaddai evangelical mega church, a position that is considered an impediment in the Guatemalan constitution.
Photo: Sandra Torres de Colom, First Lady of Guatemala
