Sylvia Gereda, editor of el Periodico in Guatemala, covered the election from Cape May, New Jersey; Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia.

“Observing the presidential campaign from afar is quite different from experiencing it in the flesh and feeling the throb of the American people.

For over two weeks I had the opportunity of visiting a range of cities including both powerful cities such as Washington D.C. and remote towns such as the island of Cape May, in Southern New Jersey, where the population of barely 12,000 becomes an astonishing tourist center of 750,000 during the summer. In all of these corners, I was able to feel the yearning of a huge population that cried for change and that was willing to pack the ballot-boxes in order to make history and make their voices be heard.

While covering the elections in the U.S., I visited the political headquarters of both Republicans and Democrats, and walked through the streets, universities and research centers; I visited important media centers and spoke with high ranking officials and always found the same answer: these are times of change embodied in Barack Obama.”