Guatemala Elects Comedian As President

In the news today is the stunning decision by the Guatemalan voters to send a former television comedian to the office of president. Jimmy Morales, who has never before held public office, won a landslide victory in Guatemala’s presidential election Sunday by taking a whopping 70% of the votes.

It seems Mr. Morales' platform of "Not Corrupt, Not a Crook" resonated throughout the voting public. According to The New York Times, Guatemala's political system has been "broken" for quite awhile and there has been ongoing corruption at just about every level. 

"With this vote you made me president," said Morales in a short victory statement Sunday night. "The mandate of the people of Guatemala is to fight against the corruption that has consumed us.”

The former Guatemalan president, Otto Pérez Molina is currently in jail on charges that he was involved in a multimillion-dollar customs fraud case. 

Morales' closest opponent in the election, Sandra Torres, wife of another former President Álvaro Colom Caballeros, admitted defeat after it became clear that Morales had won with about 68% of the votes cast. "The people have made their choice," she said.

Numerous street protests have been going on throughout the early part of this year calling for Molina to resign because of the corruption. He did so in September and the election for a new president was held Sunday.

Morales' campaign was heavy on style but light on any solid policy proposals. Many said his campaign headquarters looked more like a television variety show, with a band and dancers, than a politician running for office. Morales' biggest pledge during the campaign was the same as everyone else's, to fight the entrenched corruption that caused Molina to resign. 

The new president rose to fame as a TV actor and comedian, and starred in the Guatemalan TV series Moralejas ("Morals") along with his brother Sammy.