EX-PRISON BOSS DEFEATS FORMER FIRST LADY

Right-wing candidate Alejandro Giammattei won Guatemala’s presidential election Sunday, beating former first lady Sandra Torres by a double-digit margin. Turnout was low in the runoff — a sign of voter apathy and disillusionment toward the government, experts say.

Giammattei, 63, will replace President Jimmy Morales at a time when the country finds itself embroiled in corruption scandals. He will take office in January.

Sunday marked Giammattei’s fourth bid for Guatemala’s presidency and his first victory. Only 42 per cent of registered voters cast ballots in the final race of a contentious election season in which many popular candidates were disqualified.

Giammattei, a former prisons director, had been previously prosecuted and acquitted of charges relating to extrajudicial executions by an international tribunal .