The Guatemalan Army is deploying troops to support the elections

The measures are intended to ensure that people attend polling stations in a calm manner, that the process is not interrupted, and to complement the operations of the National Civil Police (PNC), Public Prosecution Service (MP) and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE)..

The Army’s 25,699 soldiers will be linked to internal surveillance, traffic control, and access to and security of critical infrastructure.

They will protect 276 bridges, two ports, 14 national runways and two international airports as well as 23 electric power substations, according to official reports from the defense portfolio.

Last Monday, June 19, the Minister of the Interior, Napoleon Barrientos, revealed the Operations Plan for the 2023 General Elections, describing that on polling day there will be integrated observation posts.

He stressed that we have analyzed 20 municipalities in great danger, which will be given priority to deploy security teams.

For his part, the Chief of Defense, Henri Reyes, identified the protection of two vision areas that correspond to the entity (by land, air and sea), those of strategic value and critical points, as well as support at home and abroad. kingdom.

The Attorney General, Consuelo Porras, indicated that the plan had been handed over to the authorities of the Supreme Court of Elections, and that this was the first time that the representative institutions had joined efforts to coordinate electoral matters, each working within its competence. confirmed.

Some 9.3 million Guatemalans will go to the polls tomorrow to elect a new president, vice president, 160 deputies in Congress, 20 deputies in the Central American Parliament and 340 mayors for the period from 2024 to 2028.

If neither candidate receives 50 percent plus one of the votes, the Supreme Electoral Court has scheduled a second round for Sunday, August 20, in which the couple with the majority of votes will participate in the first date.

L/Zn