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Pentecostal behaviour with respect to the Guatemalan electorate and the support of the democratic process of the country. The population in general showed an alarming abstentionist tendency in the general elections of the 2003. According to the National Elections 2003 in the first round of elections only 57.90 per cent voted and this was reduced to 46.78 per cent in the second round (Pulso electoral 2004: 1).\u000AInterestingly, in the results of the interviews and surveys of the NPL a different percentage was reflected. 77.14 per cent of the interviewed people said that they had voted and the rest did not do so for diverse reasons. The Guatemalan Evangelicals as well as those of other Latin American countries have shown the importance that their vote can have in general elections. In the election in Peru, President Fujimori won because of the Evangelical vote (Mondrag\u00F3n 1990: 137). The result of the GSNPL on the same subject demonstrated a similar tendency of voting [Table 5.9]. Amy Sherman in her investigation on the intention of the vote in 1993 between two different indigenous communities in the plateau of Guatemala, found a similar tendency. Two thirds of the votes were emitted by Mayan Evangelicals against half of traditional Mayan people. According to Sherman the Evangelicals in Guatemala seem to appreciate more the democracy and pluralism (1997: 143-145).\u000AThe laity does not seem to have the same political preferences. This situation far from being negative can help the country\u2019s democratic process. According to Freston there is no monolithic organization playing the corporative game among Evangelicals, but a plurality of organizations competing with each other (2001: 302). He emphasizes that perhaps it is good for democracy that the Evangelicals are divided institutionally. Finally, that difference of opinion and political preference can create a greater tolerance between the different groups and strengthen civil society. According to Sherman democratic theory observes a positive connection between religious pluralism and political pluralism. She refers to the capacity of people to tolerate each other mutually in spite of the differences of principles in both camps (1997: 133). Although this data represents a relatively small\u000A266\u000A


































































































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