The Bishops’ Conference of Guatemala is set to issue a statement on the upcoming November 4 presidential elections calling on candidates Alvaro Colom and Otto Perez Molina to demonstrate civility in their campaigns and refrain from insults and personal attacks.

Archbishop Oscar Julio Vian Morales of Los Altos warned that personal attacks between the two candidates would confuse voters and have a negative influence on the outcome of the elections. “What we aim to do is get people to stop focusing on the negative campaigning of Colom and Perez and instead focus on analyzing their political agendas,” he told reporters.

He said the candidates should make doable proposals to combat poverty, hunger, unemployment and violence, in order to enable voters to make a clear choice.