A/HRC/43/3/Add.1 of the census, the population is 14.9 million (51.5 per cent women, 48.5 per cent men). Previous official projections estimated the population at 17.3 million in 2018. Of the population in the census, 51.1 per cent self-identified as “ladino” (referring to the nonindigenous population of Guatemala) and 43.8 per cent as indigenous, a number that was questioned by some indigenous authorities who alleged deficiencies in the formulation of the question on self-identification. The census shows that many Guatemalans, especially indigenous peoples, continue to live in situations of extreme poverty, with serious limitations to their rights to food, water, education and land (see paras. 59–69). III. Democratic space A. The general elections 13. The general elections took place in a highly polarized environment. These were the first elections to implement the 2016 reforms of the law on elections and political parties. Among other issues, the reforms related to campaign financing, the allocation of media time for campaigns, the effect of null votes and the issue of voting from abroad. 14. Following the presentation of numerous legal challenges, decisions issued by the Constitutional Court determined the 19 parties that could run on presidential tickets. These decisions generated dissatisfaction among various sectors of the population, particularly in the cases of Zury Ríos (Valor party) and former Attorney General Thelma Aldana (Semilla party) who were among the top three candidates in polls in the weeks before the elections. Another presidential candidate, Mario Estrada (UCN party), was arrested in the United States on charges of conspiring with a drug cartel to meddle in the elections in exchange for unrestricted passage of drugs through the country, to which he later pled guilty.7 15. For the first time in the history of Guatemala, an indigenous woman, Thelma Cabrera (MLP party), won 10 per cent of the votes, placing fourth. However, women and indigenous peoples remained underrepresented in elected positions at all levels. Women made up only 20 per cent of the total number of candidates.8 Although there was an increase of women candidates at municipal levels (from 137 in 2015 to 227 in 2019), only 10 were elected. 9 No disaggregated information is available with respect to voter participation among indigenous peoples. OHCHR documented misogynist and racist discourses on social media, particularly against indigenous candidates.10 16. During both electoral rounds, OHCHR deployed teams in coordination with the Office of the Ombudsperson to observe the human rights situation. During the first round of voting, on 16 June, OHCHR sent 14 teams to 17 departments. The teams documented cases of coercion and pressure to vote, including vote buying, threats against members of the temporary electoral bodies,11 riots preventing vote counting and violent entry into polling stations. Owing to incidents of violence, the elections of four municipal councils had to be repeated.12 7 8 9 10 11 12 4 United States Department of Justice, United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, “Guatemalan presidential candidate charged with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and related firearms offense”, 17 April 2019. Available at justice.gov. Information provided to OHCHR by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, DOP-0-3114-2019, 17 October 2019. Ibid. oacnudh.org.gt/images/CONTENIDOS/ARTICULOS/PUBLICACIONES/ Elecciones2019/Boletin2_NoDejarANadieAtras.pdf (in Spanish). These resulted in the suspension of elections in San Jorge (Zacapa). Iztapa (Escuintla); Tajumulco and Esquipulas Palo Gordo (San Marcos); and San Antonio Ilotenango (Quiché).