Guatemala's recent presidential election saw a high abstention rate and a significant number of invalid votes. Bernardo Arévalo, leader of the progressive Movimiento Semilla, made it to the runoff, promising to fight against corruption and bring back justice operators currently in exile. Guatemalan state institutions have been weakened by predatory elites and organized crime, leading to low levels of confidence in them. Civic freedoms have deteriorated, with increasing harassment and criminalization of those denouncing corruption and human rights abuses. Arévalo's unexpected performance in the election has caused contention, with calls for a recount and concerns of an attempted electoral coup.

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