politics of guatemala

(See Guatemala election, 2003)

Government

Guatemala's 1985 constitution provides for a separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. The 1993 constitutional reforms included an increase in the number of Supreme Court justices from 9 to 13. The terms of office for president, vice president, and congressional representatives were reduced from 5 years to 4 years; for Supreme Court justices from 6 years to 5 years, and increased the terms of mayors and city councils from 2 1/2 to 4 years. The president and vice president are directly elected through universal suffrage and limited to one term. A vice president can run for president after 4 years out of office. Supreme Court justices are elected by the Congress from a list submitted by the bar association, law school deans, a university rector, and appellate judges. The Supreme Court and local courts handle civil and criminal cases. There also is a Constitutional Court. Guatemala has 22 administrative subdivisions (departments) administered by governors appointed by the president. Guatemala City and 330 other municipalities are governed by popularly elected mayors or councils.

Political conditions

The 1999 presidential and legislative elections were considered by international observers to have been free and fair. Participation by women and indigenous voters was higher than in the recent past, although concerns remained regarding the accessibility of polling places in rural areas. Alfonso Portillo's landslide victory combined with a Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) majority in congress suggested possibilities for rapid legislative action. However, under the Guatemalan Constitution of 1985, passage of many kinds of legislation requires a two-thirds vote. Passage of such legislation is not possible, therefore, with FRG votes alone. The political balance was disrupted in 2000 when allegations surfaced that the FRG had illegally altered legislation. Following an investigation, the Supreme Court stripped those involved, including President of Congress and FRG chief Ros Montt, of their legislative immunity to face charges in the case. At roughly the same time, the PAN opposition suffered an internal split and broke into factions; the same occurred in the ANN. As a result, reforms essential to peace implementation await legislative action. New cases of human rights abuse continued to decline, although violent harassment of human rights workers presented a serious challenge to government authority. Common crime, aggravated by a legacy of violence and vigilante justice, presents another serious challenge. Impunity remains a major problem, primarily because democratic institutions, including those responsible for the administration of justice, have developed only a limited capacity to cope with this legacy. The government has stated it will require until 2002 to meet the target of increasing its tax burden (at about 10% of GDP, currently the lowest in the region) to 12% of GDP.

Country name

Conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
Conventional short form: Guatemala
Local long form: Repblica de Guatemala
Local short form: Guatemala

Data code

Government type

constitutional democratic republic

National holiday:

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:

31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986 Note: suspended 25 May 1993 by former President Serrano Elas; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993

Legal system

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces may not vote)

Executive branch

Chief of State

President scar Jos Rafael Berger Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo Stein Barillas (since 14 January 2004). Note – the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet

Council of Ministers named by the president

Elections

President elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 9 November 2003; runoff held 28 December 2003. See Guatemala election, 2003. Next to be held NA November 2007.

election results

Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, lvaro Colom (UNE) 45.9%

Legislative branch

Unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Repblica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

Elections

last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held November 2007)

Election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18 Note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional seats increased from 113 to 158

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (thirteen members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)

Political parties and leaders

Authentic Integral Development or DIA SUGER; Democratic Union or UD PAIZ Andrade; Grand National Alliance or GANA BERGER Perdomo; Green Party or LOV ROSALES Garcis-Salaz; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG CEREZO Arevalo; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG ESTELA Maldonado, secretary general; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG RIOS Montt; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU ARBENZ Villanueva; Movement for Principals and Values or MPV BIANCHI; National Advancement Party or PAN LOPEZ Rodas, secretary general; National Unity for Hope or UNE COLOM Caballeros; New Nation Alliance or ANN, formed by an alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom subsequently defected by three co-equal partners - Nineth Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio BALSELLS TUT; Patriot Party or PP General Otto PEREZ Molina; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP VALLADARES Molina; Reform Movement or MR SKINNER-KLEE, secretary general; Unionista Party NA

Political pressure groups and leaders

Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

International organization participation

BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Flag description

Three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath. See Flag of Guatemala.