Guatemala may be about to install a left-wing government as the country heads towards a run-off election. 

According to Reuters, early results from Sunday's vote suggest that while Former First Lady Sandra Torres is leading, she will fall short of the margin needed to win an outright victory.

Torres husband died while under house arrest

Torres leads a center-left political party called National Unity of Hope (UNE), and it managed to obtain 15% of the vote.

One 72-year-old voter told Reuters, "I have always voted for Sandra Torres because she helped my (community) a lot (as first lady). She gave money, food and a lot of help to poor people."

Torres was previously married to Álvaro Colom, who served as president of Guatemala from 2008 to 2012 and died of cancer while under house arrest on corruption charges earlier this year. Torres was herself arrested in 2019 on campaign finance charges in 2019 but those charges were dismissed three years later.

Meanwhile, another left-of-center party known as Semilla was chosen by 12.2% of voters. The fact that no party won more than 50% ensures another election will be held in August.

Crowded run featured more than 20 candidates

Part of the reason for this is that Torres is competing in a hotly contested race involving more than 20 candidates, including Zury Rios, who is the daughter of former dictator Efrain Rios Montt.

However, vote splitting isn't the only explanation, as Reuters noted that almost one out of every four ballots cast was either spoiled or left blank.

The news service attributed that phenomenon to "discontent at the electoral process and the decision to bar early front-runner, businessman Carlos Pineda" who "urged supporters to spoil their ballots after he was ruled ineligible."

The decision by a court to exclude Pineda came under criticism from international observers who questioned the legitimacy of Guatemala's election.

Watchdog says election governed by "arbitrary criteria"

Carolina Jimenez serves as president of the think tank Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), and she denounced the move as undemocratic.

"We do not see a process that is governed by international standards, but rather one where arbitrary criteria are used," Jimenez was quoted as saying.

Reuters reported that Pineda was not alone in being blocked by a court order from running as three other candidates were excluded from the race as well.

Among them is Semilla's original nominee, anti-corruption campaigner Thelma Aldana, who formerly served as attorney general.