Hard Hand or The Other Hand...Re-election day.

Today is Election- or rather "Re-election" day. It's a runoff from the September elections in which two candidates (Perez and Colom) were the top two candidates. Most of the people I have talked to here are fairly ambivalent about the elections because they think both leaders are fairly corrupt and ineffective. I know several who are going to annul their votes, but others seem think that Colom will be somewhat better, and less violent that Perez. Perez is from the "Mano Duro" (hard hand) party which promises to rid Guatemala of gang violence "by force". That's a difficult task in a country where the government, military, police force and gangs are all intricately intertwined with the drug trade and other economic interests, and could lead to a blood bath akin to those Guatemala has seen several times throughout it's history.

Colom on the other hand, of the UNE doesn't promise much of anything- expect tag lines like the one here "You're hope is my promise." He does not indicate exactly who's hopes he intends to assure, or how he will achieve them. So we'll see what happens. These signs (that are now hanging on my bathroom door) are strung on literally every walkway, overpass, street sign, light post and really any other "adherable" object. It's quite the campaign strategy!

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