Central America: Two for the Seesaw

In his Cabbages and Kings, O. Henry lightly—if somewhat fondly—dismissed Central America as a collection of "little opéra bouffe nations" that "play at government and intrigue." The generals always ran the show, and elections—when they were held at all—were ruthlessly rigged. More than 50 years later, most Central American countries still only play at the game of government. But a few are quietly breaking tradition, judging by two recent presidential elections.

> In Guatemala, after three years of military government, Strongman Enrique Peralta permitted more than 450,000 Guatemalans to go to the polls and in a free and open...