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September 7, 2021 by Carmen Rizzo Hispanic Culture 0 comments

A Look at How the Guatemalan Government Works

The structure of the Guatemalan government reflects the fact that La República de Guatemala (the Republic of Guatemala) is a sovereign and independent nation.

Guatemala’s name comes from the nahuatl Quauhtlemallan which means “place of many trees.” It is in Central America and borders Belize to the west, Mexico to the northeast, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast. 

Read this article to learn about how the Guatemalan government works. 

Guatemala’s Government Structure

How does the Guatemalan government work? Guatemala’s government is governed by la Constitución Política de la República de Guatemala (the Political Constitution of the Republic of Guatemala). I’ll refer to it as the Guatemalan constitution from now on. It’s the supreme law of the country. 

The Guatemalan constitution establishes that the Guatemalan government is Republicano, Democrático y Representativo (Republican, Democratic and Representative), which means that the government is divided into three poderes del estado (state branches).

Guatemalan government

1. Executive Branch (Organismo Ejecutivo)

In Guatemala, the executive branch includes the president, vice president, ministers, governors, and mayors of the departments of Guatemala. The function of this branch is to formulate, execute, and administrate government policies. 

On January 14, 2020, Alejandro Giammattei began his presidency alongside Vice President Guillermo Castillo. Each presidential term lasts four years. The president and VP cannot be reelected. That rule applies to other positions like ministers, magistrates, and representatives.

Giammatei and Castillo are the principal representatives of el poder ejecutivo in Guatemala.

2. Legislative Branch (Poder Legislativo)

The Guatemalan legislative branch consists of 160 diputados (representatives). The current diputados are in office from 2020 to 2024, and they were elected in the 2019 elections.

El Congreso de la República de Guatemala (Congress of the Republic of Guatemala) is in charge of creating and promoting laws to promote the development and growth of Guatemala and the wellness of its inhabitants. They approve the annual budget of several institutions.

The Congress of Guatemala changes its president and directors board annually. In 2021, the president of the Congress is Alan García. Sofía Hernández, Luis Alfonzo Rosales, and Armando Damián Castillo are first, second, and third vice presidents, respectively. 

3. Judicial Branch (Poder Judicial)

This branch includes the Supreme Court of Justice, the Court of Appeals, courts of first instance, and lower courts. The judicial branch in Guatemala has the power to judge and promote the execution of justice. 

The judicial branch is represented by 13 magistrates who are in office for one year. The current chief justice of the Supreme Court is Silvida Patricia Valdés Quezada. 

Several institutions that work hand-in-hand with the courts, including: 

  • el Ministerio Público – Public Ministry 
  • la Procuraduría General de la Nación – Office of the Attorney General of the Nation  
  • la Procuraduría de los Derechos Humanos – Human Rights Ombudsman

Hand-picked for you: Spanish Politics: What Type of Government Does Spain Have?

Guatemalan Voting Rights

Voting in Guatemala is a right and a duty for every Guatemalan citizen. The rules and regulations of this right are detailed in la Ley Electoral y de Partidos Políticos (Electoral and Political Party Laws). 

In Guatemala, an adult citizen is 18 years or older. Guatemalans have rights and obligations, such as:

  • Respect and defend the Political Constitution of the Republic
  • Register in the citizen’s registry and obtain a personal identification document
  • Exercise the right to vote
  • Run for public office
  • Ensure the freedom and effectiveness of the vote and the voting process
  • Defend the principle of alternation and non-reelection
  • Carry out the electoral functions for which they were appointed
Guatemalan Government
Guatemala Election Observation | © Electoral Reform International Services/Flickr

Political Parties and Elections

Elections in Guatemala take place every four years. The Tribunal Supremo Electoral (Supreme Electoral Tribunal) is the institution in charge of assuring that every Guatemalan can exercise their right to vote.  

Guatemala has at least 15 political parties currently. VAMOS is the current partido oficial (official political party), but here are some of the popular and recognized ones: 

EnglishSpanish
Let’s go for a different GuatemalaVamos por una Guatemala diferente- VAMOS
Movement for the freedom of the peopleMovimiento para la liberación de los pueblos – MLP
National Convergence FrontFrente de convergencia nacional – FCN
National Unity for HopeUnidad nacional por la esperanza – UNE
Seed MovementMovimiento semilla – Semilla
Vision with valueVisión con valores – VIVA

Beside the many political parties, the political ideologies in Guatemala include four major groups: 

Left (Izquierda) 

The political organizations with this ideology defend social equality and egalitarianism. They often oppose established social hierarchies and seek equality.

Center-left (Centroizquierda)

Those who promote center-left or moderate left politics believe in working within the established social and government systems to improve social justice. This requires individual and social responsibility. 

Right (Derecha)

The political organizations with this ideology support social orders and hierarchies and view them as inevitable, normal, and desirable. From this point of view, inequality is normal as a result of social differences and economic competition.

Center-right (Centroderecha)

Also known as moderate-right politics, this ideology leans to the right in the political spectrum but is closer to the center. This ideology supports the economy, development, and private property, as well as human rights. 

See also: A Brief History of Guatemala’s 36-Year-Long Civil War

Guatemalan government
National Palace of Culture – Guatemala City | © Rene Hernandez/Flickr

Taxation

Taxes are a compulsory contribution to state revenue that comes from the workers’ income and business profit or are added to the cost of goods, services, and transactions. 

Working Guatemala citizens have the obligation to pay los impuestos (taxes).

The institution in charge of collecting taxes for the Guatemalan government is la Superintendencia de Administración Tributaria- SAT (Superintendency of Tax Administration).

Here’s a list of taxes Guatemalans pay:

EnglishSpanish
cement distribution taxel impuesto a la distribución de cemento
direct taxeslos impuestos directos
great contributor regime taxel impuesto del régimen del gran contribuyente
income tax el Impuesto Sobre la Renta- ISR
indirect taxeslos impuestos indirectos
Inheritance, legacy and donation taximpuesto sobre herencias, legados y donaciones
road taxel impuesto sobre circulación de vehículos terrestres, marítimos y aéreos
small taxpayer regime taxel impuesto del régimen del pequeño contribuyente
single tax on the propertyel Impuesto Único sobre Inmuebles- IUSI
solidarity taxel impuesto de solidaridad
tax on the distribution of crude oil and petroleum-derived fuelel impuesto a la distribución de petróleo crudo y combustibles derivados del petróleo
Value Added Tax- VATel Impuesto al Valor Agregado- IVA

Check out the official SAT website to learn more about Guatemalan taxes

Learn about Guatemala In Spanish! 

As a Guatemalan, I can tell you how beautiful and amazing my country is. It is full of life and colors. Its natural beauty is breathtaking, and even though we still have a long way to go in regard to political and corruption issues, Guatemala is a wonderful place to visit.

Knowing Spanish when you travel here removes the language barrier and promotes better communication. It empowers you to have a meaningful, in-depth experience of Guatemalan culture and people. Also, learning Spanish also helps your cognition and decision-making abilities! 

Sign up for a free trial class at Homeschool Spanish Academy to prepare for your trip to Guatemala. And since all of our teachers live in Guatemala, you can ask them more about the country’s government, society, and traditions! 

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Ready to learn more about Guatemala and Latin America? Check these out!

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Carmen Rizzo
Carmen Rizzo
Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
I’m a native Spanish speaker from Guatemala with a B.A. in Psychology. I have a passion for teaching Sunday school in my spare time and for learning and sharing valuable information. I'm a cat lover who gets excited over cartoons, anime, and video games. I dabble in digital illustration and animation. I'm inspired by sharing my culture, traditions, food, and beliefs with others, while learning about theirs in return.
Carmen Rizzo
Latest posts by Carmen Rizzo (see all)
  • An Easy Vocabulary Guide to Describe the Post Office in Spanish - February 10, 2023
  • Guatemala’s Biggest, Most Colorful Market: Chichicastenango - December 28, 2022
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