Guatemala’s Democracy Dilemma
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo faces criticism from his own supporters who believe he is moving too slowly to dismantle corrupt institutions. While Arévalo argues that he must respect the rule of law to avoid authoritarian overreach, his base fears he is losing a critical window for reform.
Why it matters
It explores the tension between democratic integrity and the practical necessity of political reform in Latin American governance.
A reformist president weighs the pressure to move fast against the imperative to restore institutions his people can trust.
Illustration by Akshita Chandra / The Atlantic* September 20, 2026, 7 AM ET Share Save J ust over three years ago in Guatemala, a coalition of young and Indigenous voters helped propel Bernardo Arévalo, a reformer who campaigned against corruption, to an astounding presidential win. Guatemala had not only refused the global trend toward populist authoritarianism; it had also defied what its citizens called “the pact of the corrupt,” a loose alliance of politicians, judges, criminal networks, and crony capitalists that had gained control of the country’s institutions.
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