GUATEMALA CITY, Aug 21 — Surprise election favourite Bernardo Arevalo surged ahead in early results from Guatemala’s presidential runoff on Sunday, with 59.2 per cent of votes according to the election body.

With 70 per cent of votes counted, his rival, the former first lady Sandra Torres trailed with 36.06 per cent of votes.

Arevalo pulled off a massive upset after defying opinion polls and coming in second in the first-round election in June.

His anti-corruption message appears to have struck a chord with weary voters, and the election body earlier reported "a historic turnout percentage”.

Torres, from a traditionally central left party, has promised welfare programmes and various subsidies for the poor.

However, she has also won the backing of the right and evangelicals, has increased her socially conservative rhetoric, and is seen as representing the establishment.

"Traditional political forces have bet on Torres, because Arevalo is seen as a risk to the continuity of the system,” political analyst Arturo Matute told AFP.

Fed-up voters expressed despair over the poverty, violence and corruption that have crippled the Central American nation, pushing thousands of its citizens to emigrate in search of a better life, many to the United States. — AFP