Guatemala, Sep 8 (Prensa Latina) Although the Guatemalan presidential candidate Sandra Torres ranks second, with 97.71 percent of counted votes in the polling stations, even today it is unknown if she or Manuel Baldizón will be the rivals of Jimmy Morales in the round of elections scheduled for October.
Morales, from the National Convergence Front, won the backing of a 1,156,721 votes (23.95 percent), well above the 947,606 reached by Torres, from the National Unity of Hope, a 19.62 percent.

On the other hand, Manuel Baldizón, from Lider, has 945,286 votes (19.57), very close to Torres.

Given this new scenario in Guatemala, where the second and third place obtained a similar support, it is indispensable to know the voting figures of the 2.29 percent of the polling stations that still have to be scrutinized.

In this regard, the Judge of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE, in Spanish), Julio Solórzano, said that it must be noted why the proceedings issued in 449 polling stations, the 2,29 percent of the total, did not get to the center designated for it.

He said that it must be clarified if such records were burned or still exist through a hearing, while he dismissed a recount of ballots.

TSE President, Rudy Pineda, said at a press conference that it was reached an unprecedented record of 70.38 percent participation (5,318,847 voters), according to preliminary data.

For its part, the Guatemalan president, Alejandro Maldonado, regretted yesterday the violent acts committed in several places due to the general elections held on Sunday amid a deep political crisis.

Through an official statement, the president urged to impose penal sanctions to the promoters of acts of vandalism.

At least 10 communities in Guatemala, recorded violent incidents as a result of dissatisfaction with the election results, according to a report by Prensa Libre, a local newspaper.

These events include burning of buildings, armed clashes with policemen wounded, burning tires and retention of members of polling stations.

A total of 34,350 agents of the National Civil Police were deployed in the country: eight thousand in the department of Guatemala, to which this capital belongs, and 26,000 in the interior, said Deputy Minister of the Interior, Elmer Sosa .

Guatemalans went to the polls on Sunday to elect a new presidential binomial, 158 members of Congress, 20 legislators to the Central American Parliament and the members of the 338 municipal corporations.