  

    <html>
      <head>
        <meta charset="UTF-8" />
        <script type="text/javascript">
            
            var stats_getHTTPObject_26904_en = function () {
                var xhr = false;
                if (window.XMLHttpRequest) {
                    xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
                } else if (window.ActiveXObject) {
                    try {
                        xhr = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
                    } catch(e) {
                        try {
                            xhr = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
                        } catch(e) {
                            xhr = false;
                        }
                    }
                }
                return xhr;
            };

            var stats_submit_26904_en = function () {
                if (undefined !== window.statistics_request_sent__26904_en) {
                    return;
                }
                window.statistics_request_sent__26904_en = true;

                var stats_request = stats_getHTTPObject_26904_en();
                stats_request.onreadystatechange = function() {};

                var read_date = new Date();
                var read_path = "_statistics/reader/1/";
                var request_randomizer = "" + read_date.getTime() + Math.random();
                var stats_url = "https://elfaro.net/" + read_path + "26927/";
                try {
                    stats_request.open("GET", stats_url + "?randomizer=" + request_randomizer, true);
                    stats_request.send(null);
                    /* not everybody has jquery installed
                    $.ajax({
                        url: stats_url,
                        data: {randomizer: request_randomizer},
                        success: function() {}
                    });
                    */
                } catch (e) {}
            };
            stats_submit_26904_en();
            
            </script>
        <style>
          body
          ,
          code[class*="language-"]
          ,
          pre[class*="language-"]
          {

          }
        </style>


        <!-- INIT -->
        <link rel="canonical" href="https://elfaro.net/en/202306/centroamerica/26904"/>
        <noscript>
          <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="5;URL=https://elfaro.net/en/202306/centroamerica/26904">
        </noscript>
        <meta charset="utf-8"><!--[if lt IE 9]><script type="text/javascript">var IE_fix=true;</script><![endif]-->
        
        <!-- /ENDS -->
      </head>
      <body>

        {"code":"26904","sect":"Central America","sect_slug":"central-america","hits":"2390","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/en\/202306\/centroamerica\/26904","link_edit":"","name":"Allegations of Electoral Court Bribery Fuel Doubts about Legitimacy of Guatemalan Election","slug":"allegations-of-electoral-court-bribery-fuel-doubts-about-legitimacy-of-guatemalan-election","info":"Reports of bribery from President Giammattei to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, disputes over the electronic vote-counting system, and suspicions of illicit campaign financing are piling onto a widely condemned elimination of presidential front-runners. These ingredients make this Sunday\u2019s elections the most precarious and uncertain in decades.","mtag":"Corruption","noun":{"html":"Jos\u00e9 Luis Sanz and Roman Gressier","data":{"jose-luis-sanz-and-roman-gressier":{"sort":"","slug":"jose-luis-sanz-and-roman-gressier","path":"jose_luis_sanz_and_roman_gressier","name":"Jos\u00e9 Luis Sanz and Roman Gressier"}}},"view":"2390","pict":{"cms-image-000039127-jpg":{"feat":"1","sort":"39127","name":"cms-image-000039127.jpg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000039127.jpg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000039127.jpg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000039127-jpg","text":"&lt;p&gt;President Alejandro Giammattei and Attorney General Mar\u00eda Consuelo Porras attend the presentation of the annual report of the Public Prosecutor's Office in Guatemala City on May 17, 2023. Photo Johan Ord\u00f3\u00f1ez\/AFP&lt;\/p&gt;","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EPresident Alejandro Giammattei and Attorney General Mar\u00eda Consuelo Porras attend the presentation of the annual report of the Public Prosecutor's Office in Guatemala City on May 17, 2023. Photo Johan Ord\u00f3\u00f1ez\/AFP\u003C\/p\u003E"},"cms-image-000039128-jpeg":{"feat":"0","sort":"39128","name":"cms-image-000039128.jpeg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000039128.jpeg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000039128.jpeg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000039128-jpeg","text":"&lt;p&gt;Campaign posters along Guatemala City's Liberation Boulevard on June 21, 2023. Photo V\u00edctor Pe\u00f1a&lt;\/p&gt;","capt":"\u003Cp\u003ECampaign posters along Guatemala City's Liberation Boulevard on June 21, 2023. Photo V\u00edctor Pe\u00f1a\u003C\/p\u003E"},"cms-image-000039129-jpeg":{"feat":"0","sort":"39129","name":"cms-image-000039129.jpeg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000039129.jpeg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000039129.jpeg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000039129-jpeg","text":"&lt;p&gt;Former First Lady Sandra Torres speaks to the press in Guatemala City in June 2019 after advancing to the run-off presidential election. Photo Carlos Barrera&lt;\/p&gt;","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EFormer First Lady Sandra Torres speaks to the press in Guatemala City in June 2019 after advancing to the run-off presidential election. Photo Carlos Barrera\u003C\/p\u003E"}},"pict_main__sort":39127,"date":{"live":"2023\/06\/23"},"data_post_dateLive_YY":"2023","data_post_dateLive_MM":"06","data_post_dateLive_DD":"23","text":"\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003EEl Faro is an investigative newsroom that shines a light on corruption in \u003Cem\u003ECentral America\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca href=\"\/suscribe\/en\/\"\u003ESubscribe to our newsletter\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003EIt was Giammattei\u2019s closest operator who broke the news.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EOn Wednesday Miguel Mart\u00ednez spoke to journalists about an explosive \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/06\/22\/us\/guatemala-presidential-election.html\"\u003ENew York Times report\u003C\/a\u003E: that Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) magistrate Blanca Alfaro went to the U.S. Embassy last year and presented \u201ca cash package\u201d \u201450,000 quetzales; about $6,000 USD\u2014 that he allegedly gave her and other magistrates on behalf of President Alejandro Giammattei.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EIn a Samuel Alito-style move, Mart\u00ednez tried to head off the article, published Thursday night: \u201cWhen the investigation comes out, don\u2019t be surprised,\u201d he \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/infogt_noticias\/status\/1671701645598638080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1671701645598638080%7Ctwgr%5E04f8e4999223de721e00fcd1f85597f9a49c52dd%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.soy502.com%2Farticulo%2Fmiguel-martinez-rechaza-investigacion-new-york-times-50172\"\u003Esaid\u003C\/a\u003E. The article cited a U.S. official and a source present in the meeting, both anonymous. \u201cThis is something malicious that they\u2019re doing in order to destabilize the elections,\u201d said Mart\u00ednez.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EEl Faro English has \u003Cstrong\u003Ereceived separate confirmation by three sources that the Embassy meeting happened\u003C\/strong\u003E. One of them, present at the meeting, sets the date as March 22, 2022. Another asserts that Alfaro intended for the embassy to keep the money as supposed proof of the bribe, but that the U.S. officials refused.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe account that Giammattei has quite literally put cash on the table at the TSE has circulated for months in Guatemala City and Washington, D.C. In a February \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/concriterio.gt\/mario-taracena-y-su-denuncia-sin-eco-el-tse-recibe-dinero-del-giammatttei\/\"\u003Eradio interview\u003C\/a\u003E, former president of Congress and current opposition legislator Mario Taracena said: \u201cthe TSE receives monthly cash under the table, and that\u2019s something I\u2019ve never seen in my life. Now they have a monthly stipend and that\u2019s why they listen to the president.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EA possible example of Giammattei\u2019s hand in the TSE is \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lahora.gt\/nacionales\/diego\/2023\/05\/31\/audio-denuncia-roles-de-giammattei-y-martinez-en-tema-de-prosperidad-ciudadana\/\"\u003Ean audio\u003C\/a\u003E of an ex-president of the National Association of Municipalities in which he denounced maneuvering by Giammattei to use the TSE to \u003Cstrong\u003Eblackmail a party \u2014Prosperidad Ciudadana\u2014 into listing as congressional candidates\u003C\/strong\u003E a number of Giammattei\u2019s pawns.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EWith general elections set to begin at 9 a.m. ET this Sunday, June 25, allegations against the Tribunal are the pinnacle of \u003Ca href=\"\/en\/202306\/centroamerica\/26869\/list-of-presidential-candidates-unclear-24-days-before-guatemalan-elections\"\u003EGuatemala\u2019s political and electoral crisis\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EA joint \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/cicloscap.com\/asi-construyo-giammattei-su-ejercito-de-alcaldes-para-las-elecciones-2023\/\"\u003Ejournalistic investigation\u003C\/a\u003E coordinated by Ciclos CAP found that Giammattei used \u201cselective assignment of public works, an increase in subsidies to senior citizens, and possible influence-trafficking\u201d to vastly expand his party\u2019s slate of mayoral candidates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ENot to mention that in the presidential race there is no sign of equal opportunity to compete: the daughter of a coup president is allowed to run despite a constitutional ban while the most prominent Indigenous leader was barred because of lawfare against her running mate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EAnother two candidates, including \u003Ca href=\"\/en\/202306\/centroamerica\/26869\/list-of-presidential-candidates-unclear-24-days-before-guatemalan-elections\"\u003Econtroversial frontrunner\u003C\/a\u003E Carlos Pineda, were expelled with the race already underway.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EPer Prensa Libre\u2019s last \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.prensalibre.com\/guatemala\/elecciones-generales-guatemala-2023\/ultima-encuesta-presidencial-primera-vuelta-2023-breaking\/\"\u003Epre-election poll\u003C\/a\u003E released Thursday, this emptying-out of the playing field has left \u003Cstrong\u003Eformer first lady Sandra Torres in first with 21 percent and diplomat Edmond Mulet in second\u003C\/strong\u003E with 13, followed by arch-conservative Zury R\u00edos with 9 and Giammattei\u2019s anointed candidate Manuel Conde with 6. Only two will advance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E    \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=4000&ImageHeight=2666&ImageId=39129 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"Former First Lady Sandra Torres speaks to the press in Guatemala City in June 2019 after advancing to the run-off presidential election. Photo Carlos Barrera\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E Former First Lady Sandra Torres speaks to the press in Guatemala City in June 2019 after advancing to the run-off presidential election. Photo Carlos Barrera \u003Cdiv class=\"photographer text_italic rule--ss_l tint-text--idle\"\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u201cThe elections in Guatemala are a farce,\u201d former attorney general and excluded 2019 presidential candidate Thelma Aldana told El Faro English. \u201cThe captured system decides which candidates participate. It is the appearance of a democratic exercise.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EParallel vote-count systems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EIt gets worse: Surreally, with under a week to go before the first votes are cast, the TSE said on Tuesday that it was \u003Cstrong\u003Estill mediating spats over which electronic systems would count the votes\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EMexican-Costa Rican firm Datasys \u2014which has done business with the Guatemalan state since 2017\u2014 was \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.prensalibre.com\/guatemala\/elecciones-generales-guatemala-2023\/elecciones-generales-en-guatemala-el-millonario-sistema-informatico-que-el-tse-adquirio-a-una-empresa-cuestionada\/\"\u003Eselected in February\u003C\/a\u003E to handle electronic vote reporting for $18.9 million USD, despite being the pricier of two offers and having been \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.prensalibre.com\/guatemala\/elecciones-generales-guatemala-2023\/elecciones-generales-en-guatemala-el-millonario-sistema-informatico-que-el-tse-adquirio-a-una-empresa-cuestionada\/\"\u003Ediscarded\u003C\/a\u003E by Colombian election officials due to criticism of its business practices.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ETheir work will be audited by Mexico\u2019s Technological University of Monterrey, despite a reported \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.prensalibre.com\/guatemala\/politica\/elecciones-generales-2023-sistema-informatico-del-tse-requiere-una-auditoria-independiente\/\"\u003Econtractual relationship\u003C\/a\u003E between the two. Both the selection of Datasys and the university drew \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.prensalibre.com\/guatemala\/elecciones-generales-guatemala-2023\/elecciones-generales-en-guatemala-el-millonario-sistema-informatico-que-el-tse-adquirio-a-una-empresa-cuestionada\/\"\u003Ebroad criticism\u003C\/a\u003E from transparency watchdogs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EAdding to the mayhem, \u003Cstrong\u003Ethe districts covering the capital city and department\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2014amassing almost a quarter of the country\u2019s 9.37 million \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tse.org.gt\/index.php\/sistema-de-estadisticas\/estadisticas-de-empadronados\"\u003Eregistered voters\u003C\/a\u003E\u2014 \u003Cstrong\u003Epurchased their own system to tally the votes\u003C\/strong\u003E. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t persuade them\u201d to use the same system, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/republica.gt\/politica\/fiscales-cuestionan-doble-gasto-en-sistema-alterno-de-conteo-de-votos-en-junta-electoral-distrito-y-guatemala--20236820420\"\u003Esaid\u003C\/a\u003E TSE President Irma Palencia \u2014 in recognition that each district, or junta, is autonomous from the TSE.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe two districts have purchased their own systems for the last several electoral cycles, without complaint from any parties until this year. Party representatives claim that recent test runs showed multiple problems, including the possibility to edit votes already uploaded in the servers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EPalencia told Prensa Libre on Monday that the magistrates had yet to deliberate on how to handle the juntas\u2019 alternate system. The matter was still unresolved by Thursday afternoon \u2014 less than three days before the vote.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u201c\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Tribunal has left unclear who should report the official data\u003C\/strong\u003E, which by law is the job of the juntas,\u201d former capital city district member and former education minister Mar\u00eda del Carmen Ace\u00f1a told El Faro English. She argues that the parties\u2019 criticism also misses the mark: \u201cParty auditors must attend all technological sessions, and they haven\u2019t done it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMore drug money\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThen there\u2019s party finance. The editorial board of Prensa Libre \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.prensalibre.com\/opinion\/editorial\/laxo-control-de-gasto-electoral-es-un-peligro\/\"\u003Eobserved\u003C\/a\u003E that reported campaign spending of some 30 parties combined had reached a paltry Q12.3 million ($1.57 million) by the end of May despite parties\u2019 spending ceiling of Q34.9 million each. They said that this was a clear sign of unreported cash flows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u201cThere\u2019s an extremely complex procedure to finance a political party. On top of it, now it\u2019s (public) information (...)\u00a0 so there\u2019s more cloudy financing because \u003Cstrong\u003Eonly those who don\u2019t give a damn about the law put in the money,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u201d Ignacio Lej\u00e1rraga, head of the powerful conservative business lobby CACIF, told Jos\u00e9 Luis Sanz in \u003Ca href=\"\/es\/202306\/centroamerica\/26902\/el-narcotrafico-en-guatemala-esta-teniendo-mas-peso-en-estas-elecciones-que-en-las-anteriores\"\u003Ean interview\u003C\/a\u003E.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u201cPrivate financing used to be 25 percent [of campaign finance]. To talk about 10 percent now would be an exaggeration. And someone else, who doesn\u2019t appear in the electoral registry, filled that void,\u201d said Lej\u00e1rraga.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EHe dispelled any ambiguity: \u201cDrug trafficking in Guatemala carries more weight in these elections than in the past.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E    \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=4000&ImageHeight=2673&ImageId=39128 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"Campaign posters along Guatemala City's Liberation Boulevard on June 21, 2023. Photo V\u00edctor Pe\u00f1a\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E Campaign posters along Guatemala City's Liberation Boulevard on June 21, 2023. Photo V\u00edctor Pe\u00f1a \u003Cdiv class=\"photographer text_italic rule--ss_l tint-text--idle\"\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EMonitors have denounced the \u003Ca href=\"\/en\/202301\/centroamerica\/26672\/June-2023-Election-Poses-Critical-Test-for-Guatemalan-Democracy.htm\"\u003Eillicit use of state resources\u003C\/a\u003E for campaigning, and parties have also given out home appliances, pantry items, and other \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.agenciaocote.com\/blog\/2023\/06\/20\/dar-regalos-a-cambio-del-voto-es-prohibido-por-la-ley-electoral\/\"\u003Eprohibited gifts\u003C\/a\u003E to voters, raising questions about their finances.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe \u003Cstrong\u003Estate\u2019s withholding of a subsidy to buses to shuttle voters to the polls\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2014as opposed to past elections\u2014 has added worries that parties will foot the bill.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EMillions rely on private buses in an informal economy marked by hand-to-mouth income. Speaking with Prensa Libre, Rub\u00e9n Hidalgo, of the Central American Institute of Political Studies, identified transportation as a latent \u201celectoral weakness.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EOne among many others.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe question, really, is what is sustaining the legitimacy of this year\u2019s elections in Guatemala.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Chr \/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003EThis article first appeared in the June 23 edition of the El Faro English newsletter.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca href=\"\/suscribe\/en\/\"\u003ESubscribe here\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cspan style=\"color: #808080;\"\u003Eto tune into Central America.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"}

      </body>
    </html>