By Charlene Batlle
Photo provided by Rafael Cordon, taken June 25, 2023.
Photo description: This photo is of the main stage of the CNI. The TSE magistrates are seen sitting at the table from where they announce the closure of the voting centers and the beginning of the vote counting. Behind them you can see the projection of the unchangeable backup verification page.
Place: TSE National Information Center located in the Convention Center of the Grand Tikal Futura Hotel, Zone 11 Guatemala City. The CNI is the main place where all TSE personnel and the press related to the elections meet.
In the world of politics, even democracy reinvents itself. In a time of digital novelty, blockchain technology appears as a game changer for elections.
Blockchain technology, widely known for its association with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, is a decentralized and transparent system that records all transactions on a distributed network of nodes.[i] One of the main characteristics of the blockchain is its immutability, which means that once information is recorded, it is incredibly difficult to modify without the consensus of the majority of network participants.[ii]
In the context of growing global interest in blockchain technology, it is important to examine how this innovation is being used in various domains. Guatemala has embarked on the adoption of blockchain technology to strengthen the veracity of its electoral mechanisms by leveraging the security, transparency, and resilience of the Bitcoin blockchain. The application of this technology deserves close examination, as it has the potential to catalyze a new era in electoral processes and in general, a new way to safeguard digital documents. It remains to be seen whether – in developing democracies like Guatemala – the use of this technology in elections will usher in a new age of transparency.
Throughout its history, elections in Guatemala experienced persistent challenges that raised both national and international concerns. The Central American nation, marked by uncertainty and mistrust in its struggle to consolidate a democratic system, has encountered a series of institutional and social challenges that have indelibly marked its electoral process.[iii] In this year’s election, blockchain technology was used to promote transparency and integrity of the electoral process.
Simple Proof, the system implemented in Guatemala, uses the OpenTimestamps protocol to create a digital fingerprint (known as a hash) of each vote tally sheet image and records this evidence in the Bitcoin blockchain, making it resistant to manipulation.[iv] Each vote tally sheet is permanently recorded on the blockchain and the TSE (The Supreme Electoral Tribunal)[v] makes it publicly accessible on its results website. Not only can these documents be stored, but citizens can also independently verify the authenticity of their votes and follow the vote-counting process in real-time, increasing confidence in the electoral system.[vi]
Blockchain technology not only assists in detecting interference from artificial intelligence and misinformation campaigns but also adds an extra layer of security by verifying the authenticity of election information. With each transaction securely recorded and authenticated on the blockchain, any signs of false content or manipulation attempts can be promptly identified. The transparency of the system empowers both authorities and civil society to track and verify the origins and authenticity of electoral information.[vii]
Moreover, blockchain technology plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the integrity of the voting process. By removing the burden of intermediaries and providing a clear, unobstructed view of the entire electoral process, opportunities for electoral fraud are reduced.[viii]
These advancements are particularly significant in the context of Guatemala, where allegations of election fraud marred the 2019 elections. These allegations sparked widespread protests, with citizens demanding a recount by the TSE, alleging manipulation of the results.[ix] The primary objective of introducing blockchain technology into the electoral process was to provide transparency to the Guatemalan people, addressing their concerns and restoring trust in the electoral system.
To ensure that the system functioned correctly and was not exposed to cyber-attacks, considerable investment in infrastructure and training was required. One of the firms that helped in the architecture and implementation of the data platform was ITZ Data. Rafael Cordon, the founder and cloud architect at ITZ Data, highlights the importance of “making this story public and validating this technology as the safest and most tamper-proof option available”.[x] Cordon, who has worked for more than a decade advising companies and governments, emphasized how the adoption of this technology already earned political and social consensus, that beyond being a citizen-led effort, the process was an official tool of the TSE.10
The August 2023 election – Guatemala’s first with blockchain – marked an important intersection in the country’s history. Simultaneously, the election’s political underdog with progressive positions, Bernardo Arévalo, had an unexpected victory.[xi] The sociologist, diplomat, and deputy of the Semilla Movement did not appear in any electoral poll data before June 25, and nevertheless, emerged as the undisputed leader of the electoral race. His victory presents a challenge to corruption and institutional decline. [xii]
Arévalo, who slipped past the traditional elites and will take office in January 2024, brings with him a fresh perspective on governance that does not tolerate corruption. However, in recent weeks he’s been under attack from various corners attempting to discredit the electoral outcome. The transfer of power has become a contentious issue, stemming from a significant event when the Guatemalan Public Ministry conducted an illegal raid on the TSE headquarters in the capital. During the raid, numerous boxes were seized, containing the original tally sheets of the presidential elections. While claims of fraud can be refuted with the immutably safeguarded tally sheets, the sustained questioning of the results threatens the political stability of the country.
Consuelo Porras, who serves as Attorney General and head of the Public Ministry, other prosecutors and investigators who work under her, and even a few judges have chosen to believe that the elections were stolen to favor the Semilla Movement.[xiii] These actors have been previously sanctioned by the United States for corrupt and undemocratic practices.[xiv] Accusations of illegitimate elections have sparked protests and political polarization. Amid the disillusionment, a campaign of protesters has emerged,[xv] including indigenous groups that peacefully defend a fair and inclusive political system in the streets. The Guatemalan people refuse to be spectators of the same corruption that has caused so many institutions to crumble like sandcastles. Marches and blockades have been organized to demand the resignation of Porras and all the corrupt people who support the Attorney General.[xvi]
The global community has also made efforts to end the crisis. The OAS (Organization of American States)[xvii] has shown its concern and has criticized the Public Ministry for not adjusting its practices to democratic standards. The OAS analyzed the findings on which the complaints were raised regarding alleged irregularities in the electoral process. They verified that the accusations of fraud are unfounded. There is no evidence of any alteration of votes; the OAS, which has been monitoring the electoral process since its beginning, vowed to continue monitoring the process of transition of power until the democratic will expressed at the polls is respected.[xviii]
For now, President-Elect Bernardo Arévalo and Vice President Karin Herrera have received their credentials from the TSE. Demonstrations continue and cries for the country to move forward with the transition remain driven by the ambition for change. In Guatemala, while it is now possible to view the tally sheet on a phone, citizens are still staging massive protests and once again politics is being taken to the streets
[i] Liebkind, Joe. 2020. “How Blockchain Technology Can Prevent Voter Fraud.” Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/news/how-blockchain-technology-can-prevent-voter-fraud/
[ii] Simple Proof. Accessed October 23, 2023. https://simpleproof.com
[iii] Drapalova, Eliska, Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, Bonnie Jo Palifka, and Jon Vrushi. “Corruption and the Crisis of Democracy: The Link between Corruption and the Weakening of Democratic Institutions.” Transparency International, 2019. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep20482
[iv] Simple Proof. Accessed October 23, 2023. https://simpleproof.com
[v] The TSE is an electoral body that is responsible for administering and supervising everything related to electoral processes and the exercise of voting in Guatemala“¿Quienes Somos?” n.d. Tribunal Supremo Electoral. Accessed October 29, 2023. https://tse.org.gt/index.php/homepage/tribunal
[vi] Simple Proof. Accessed October 23, 2023. https://simpleproof.com
[vii] Liebkind, Joe. 2020. “How Blockchain Technology Can Prevent Voter Fraud.”
[viii] Todd, Peter. “OpenTimestamps: Scalable, Trust-Minimized, Distributed Timestamping with Bitcoin.” Peter Todd, 15 September 2016, https://petertodd.org/2016/opentimestamps-announcement
[ix] “Guatemala anuncia que recontará todos los votos tras denuncias de fraude electoral.” 2019. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-48714072
[x] Rafael Cordon, “Election in Guatemala using blockchain technology”, conducted by Charlene Batlle, August 17, 2023, Zoom
[xi] Judt, Daniel. 2023. “Bernardo Arévalo’s Unexpected Victory Brings Guatemala Another Democratic Spring.” The Nation, August 22, 2023. https://www.thenation.com/article/world/bernardo-arevalo-guatemala-election/
[xii] Just, Daniel, “Arévalo’s Unexpected Victory”
[xiii] Ventura, Evelyn B. 2023. “El ataque de un comando armado contra manifestantes deja un muerto en Guatemala.” El Pais, October 17, 2023. https://elpais.com/america/2023-10-17/el-ataque-de-un-comando-armado-contra-manifestantes-deja-un-muerto-en-guatemala.html?rel=buscador_noticias
[xiv]United States Embassy Guatemala, “Section 353 Corrupt and Undemocratic Actors Report: 2023” June 19, 2023 https://gt.usembassy.gov/section-353-corrupt-and-undemocratic-actors-report-2023/
[xv] Font, Juan L. 2023. “Guatemala, irreconocible.” El Pais, October 21, 2023. https://elpais.com/america/2023-10-21/guatemala-irreconocible.html?rel=buscador_noticias.
[xvi] Font, Juan L. 2023. “Guatemala, irreconocible”
[xvii] 2023. Misión de la OEA expresa profunda preocupación por acciones del Ministerio Público contra integridad del material electoral en Guatemala. https://www.oas.org/es/centro_noticias/comunicado_prensa.asp?sCodigo=C-054/23
[xviii] “Statement from the OAS Electoral Mission in Guatemala on the New Raid on the TSE and the Request to Withdraw Immunity from Judges of the Court.” 2023. Organization of American States. https://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-061/23
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