conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
conventional short form: Guatemala
local long form: Republica de Guatemala
local short form: Guatemala

GT

constitutional democratic republic

Guatemala

22 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula,
El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa,
Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San
Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

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

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

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

chief of state: President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabreras (since 14
January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez (since 14
January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabreras (since
14 January 2000); Vice President Juan Francisco REYES Lopez (since 14
January 2000); 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 7 November 1999; runoff held 26 December 1999 (next
to be held NA November 2003)
election results: Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabreras elected president;
percent of vote - Alfonso Antonio PORTILLO Cabreras (FRG) 68%, Oscar
BERGER Perdomo(PAN) 32%

unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de
la Republica (113 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held on 7 November 1999 (next to be held in November
2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FRG
63, PAN 37, ANN 9, DCG 2, UD/LOV 1, PLP 1
note: for the 7 November 1999 election, the number of congressional
seats was increased from 80 to 113

Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de
Justicia; additionally the Court of Constitutionality is presided over
by the president of the Supreme Court, judges are elected for a
five-year term by Congress

Christian Democratic Party or DCG
; Democratic Union or UD ;
Green Party or LOV ; Guatemalan National Revolutionary
Union or URNG ; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Efrain
RIOS Montt]; National Advancement Party or PAN ; New
Guatemalan Democratic Front or FDNG ; New
Nation Alliance or ANN ; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP
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

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

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:  (202) 745-4952
FAX:  (202) 745-1908
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York,
and San Francisco

chief of mission: Ambassador Prudence BUSHNELL
embassy: 7-01 Avenida de la Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
mailing address: APO AA 34024
telephone:  (2) 31-15-41
FAX:  (2) 33-48-77

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