(14 Sep 03) Four leading candidates in this year's Guatemala elections will take part in a debate in Los Angeles later this month.The first of its kind, entitled “Elections 2003-Migrants,” the forum gives Guatemalans living in the United States the opportunity to hear from the hopeful presidential candidates. Los Angeles has the largest concentration of Guatemalan living abroad. Nearly approximately 390,000 Guatemalans live in the LA area, making it the third largest Guatemala community in the world. In the United States there are about 1,400,000 Guatemalans, about 10% of the total Guatemala population.
The candidates who have confirmed their participation are Oscar Berger Perdomo (Grand National Alliance; Gana); Alvaro Colom Caballeros (National Unity of Hope, UNE); Leonel López Rodas (Party for National Advancement, PAN); y Fritz García-Gallont (United Party, PU).
The controversial candidate and ex-dictator General Efraín Ríos Montt (Republican Front of Guatemala, FRG) declined to participate, but says he instead will send a recorded message.