Political financing is a central issue in Guatemala’s public agenda, not only because of large campaign investments made by political parties, but also because the challenges of financing as a result of organized crime. At present, Guatemalan legislation does not meet international standards in electoral competence, transparency and control of fund movement.

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) lacks the experience, capacity and legal tools to efficiently control political finance. Despite some advances made with the help of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), legislative reform is essential.

In 2011, IFES collaborated with the TSE in the auditing process, providing the Tribunal an instrument to monitor publicity in mass media and advertising in the public space for the duration of the campaign. Additionally, IFES worked with the TSE’s audit office to increase transparency prior to the election, which involved making improvements to the Tribunal’s web page.

During the 2011 general elections, the TSE took an important step towards transparency in political finance by releasing official audited data on political party spending on  mass media during the election campaign. This information cannot be based on projections or estimations, but must be supported by reliable documentation. For this reason, the TSE relies on the monthly reported information from political parties and the mass media.

This year, IFES’ technical assistance has enabled the TSE to corroborate and contrast information provided by the political parties and different media outlets. Before publishing the results, the TSE carries out the process of auditing received data. The Tribunal then gives parties the ability to correct any identified errors and provide more complete information, if needed.

For the first time in the electoral history of Guatemala, the TSE released information regarding campaign expenditure before the first round elections and applied legal sanctions to parties that exceeded spending limits.

After the first round took place on 11 September, the TSE published political parties’ the expenditures and declared that the two competitors who were to participate in the second round had already surpassed the spending limit.

IFES also prompted the signing of a transparency compromise by the political parties, as well as a series of agreements between the TSE and governing bodies in charge of tax control, bank supervision and the prevention of money laundering.

These accords provide a framework for collaboration in auditing the final accounts of the political parties once the electoral process is over.

IFES’ work in Guatemala is made possible by the support of the United States Agency for International Development. 

Ms. Ferreira Rubio is an International Consultant