Guatemala Holds Sixth General Elections

After four months of a violent electoral campaign, over 5.90 million Guatemalans will be attending polls Sunday to elect the president, vice president, deputies and municipal governments.

A total of 16 parties with different trends are taking part in the elections, the sixth one held in the Central American country since institutionality was restored in 1985.

According to polls, none of the hopefuls will obtain the majority of votes needed to win in the first round, with a runoff likely to be held on November 4.

Leading the race for the presidency is central leftist Alvaro Colom, from "Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza" movement, followed by retired Gen. Otto Perez Molina, from Patriotic Party, most surveys agree.

Alejandro Giammattei, from the Grand National Alliance, is in third place, followed by Rigoberta Menchu, from "Encuentro por Guatemala," Eduardo Suger, of "Centro de Accion Social," and Luis Rabbe, of the Guatemalan Republican Front.

The electoral process has been marked by insecurity and violence, with over 70 attacks against candidates, activists, or their relatives, leaving 51 people dead.