Guatemala’s economic policies are likely to continue whoever wins the next round of presidential elections, experts say.

“Guatemala, Central America’s largest economy, will likely face few dramatic changes whoever wins the second round of presidential elections, experts say. Meanwhile, Guatemala’s next president faces several challenges, ranging from growing insecurity and a splintered congress to reduced remittance growth and a lawsuit from U.S.-based Railroad Development Corporation.

Alvaro Colom, from the social democratic UNE party, received 28.3 percent of the votes in Sunday’s first round of presidential elections. Retired general Otto Molina Perez, from the right-of-center Patriot Party, received 23.8 percent, according to preliminary results from Guatemala’s electoral tribunal. That means they will face off in the second round, scheduled for November 4th. The winner will assume Guatemala’s presidency in January, succeeding Oscar Berger, who could not run for re-election and has been the country’s president since January 2004.”

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