During his January 14 inauguration, Otto Pérez Molina pledged to fight criminality in Guatemala and asked for regional cooperation, particularly from Washington.

A preview article from Americas Quarterly Winter 2012 issue discusses the recent elections in Guatemala and Nicaragua, where chose two competing symbols of their pasts to address modern socioeconomic and security challenges. How will they fare?

When President-elect Otto Pérez Molina takes office on January 14, he will encounter a judicial system that has made substantial improvements, though challenges remain.

Retired general Otto Pérez Molina won the presidential runoff vote on November 6. What does his victory mean for Guatemalan efforts to improve security and rule of law?

"Sunday’s elections in Guatemala and Nicaragua were notable for their relative lack of controversy, despite the conclusion of virtually all independent analysts that the former risks a return to the violence of the past and the latter was contrary to Nicaragua’s own constitution," writes COA's Eric Farnsworth.

"It’s a mark of utter failure by Guatemala’s institutions that people are seriously talking about bringing the military back," says AS/COA's Eric Farnsworth.

The two countries headed to the polls Sunday. Retired General Otto Pérez Molina won Guatemala’s runoff, while former rebel leader Daniel Ortega gained reelection in Nicaragua.