2007年VOA标准英语-Guatemala Prepares for Sunday Presidential Elec

By Greg Flakus
Guatemala City
07 September 2007

In spite of violence that claimed some 50 lives, officials in Guatemala say they are prepared to carry out an efficient and secure electoral process on Sunday when voters go to the polls to elect a new president. But, as VOA's Greg Flakus reports from City, it is likely no clear winner will emerge and that a runoff vote will be necessary.

Alvaro Colom waves to supporters during a campaign rally in Antigua, Guatemala, 01 Sept 2007

The two top contenders in the election are Alvaro Colom, head of the National Unity¹ of Hope, and Otto Perez Molina, a former army general who leads the Patriotic² Party.

The two men are in a statistical³ dead heat according to some polls, although a poll published here Friday shows Alvaro Colom nearly eight points ahead. But the same poll shows him around 15 points short of the 50 percent of the total vote needed to win outright⁴.

Otto Perez Molina greets supporters during a campaign rally in La Democracia, south of Guatemala City, 06 Sept 2007

That means Guatemala's new president is almost certainly going to be chosen in a runoff election that would be held November 4. In that contest, polls show, the right-leaning Perez Molina, who has called for a strong hand in fighting crime, would have a slight edge over Alvaro Colom, a left-leaning reform candidate.

Among the other candidates running in this round is 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchu, the first woman to run for president in this Central American nation. She is also from an indigenous⁵ group and has campaigned for social justice for the poor.

Rigoberta Menchu consoles a relative of Esmeralda Uyun, a member of Menchu's party who was killed by assailants last Wednesday, in San Raymundo, 07 Sept 2007

Several candidates from her party have been victims of violence in recent weeks, a reminder⁶ of the bitter legacy⁷ of Guatemala's 36-year civil war that ended in 1996. Menchu is running a distant sixth among presidential candidates and polls show the majority of indigenous voters favor Alvaro Colom.

There was concern earlier this week that Hurricane Felix might disrupt the electoral process, but the storm passed through the region already and forecasts call for nothing more than normal rains on Sunday.

Julio Solorzano, Guatemala's Supreme⁸ Electoral Tribunal director of elections, says all is ready.

He says all is in place at the electoral center here in Guatemala City and in the precincts around the country. He says results should be known late Sunday.

Among the top issues in this election are crime, the economy and adoption⁹ reform. Guatemala has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world and drug trafficking gangs have overwhelmed police in many parts of the country.

The adoption issue has emerged because of reports of poor mothers selling babies to adoption rings. There have also been cases of children being kidnapped and later sold to adoption agencies.  U.S. citizens adopted around 4,000 Guatemalan children last year. Some candidates have called this situation shameful¹⁰ and have called for tighter controls on adoption.

1 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

2 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

3 statistical   

adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table.他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• They're making detailed statistical analysis.他们正在做具体的统计分析。

4 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

5 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

6 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

7 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

8 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

9 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

10 shameful   

adj.可耻的，不道德的

参考例句：

• It is very shameful of him to show off.他向人炫耀自己，真不害臊。
• We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers.我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。