Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa,
Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San
Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 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

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 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%

Legislative branch: 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

Judicial branch: 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

Political parties and leaders: 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]; Natio