NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 71; GUATEMALA; GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NIS
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110048-1
• Release Decision: RIP
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 43
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2016
• Sequence Number: 48
• Content Type: REPORTS

I Vvt ul IAWWWAGWW I I vu-PU
71/GS/GP
Guatem,
March 1.973
NATIONAL INI
SECRET
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110048-1

NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY PUBLICATIONS
The basic unit of the NIS is the General Survey, which is now
published in a bound -by- chapter format so that topics of greater per-
ishability can be updated on an individual basis. These chapters Country
Profile, The Society, Government and Politics, The Economy, Military Geog-
raphy, Transportation and Telecommunications, Armed Forces, Science, and
intelligence and Security, provide the primary NIS coverage. Some chapters,
particularly Science and Intelligence and Security, that are not pertinent to
all countries, are produced selectively. For small countries requiring only
minimal NIS treatment, the General Survey coverage may be bound into
one volume.
Supplementing the General Survey is the NIS Basic Intelligence Fact.
book, a ready reference publication that semiannually updates key sta-
tistical data found in the Survey. An unclassified edition of the factbook
omits some details on the economy, the defense forces, and the intelligence
and security organizations.
Although detailed sections on many topics were part of the NIS
Program, production of these sections has been phased out. Those pre-
viously produced will continue to be available as long as the major
portion of the study is considered valid.
A quarterly listing of all active NIS units is published in the Inventory
of Available NIS Publications, which is also bound into the concurrent
classified Factbook. The inventory lists all NIS units by area name and
number and includes classification and date of issue; it thus facilitates the
order,ng of NIS units as well as their filing, cataloging, and utilization.
Initial dissemination, additional copies of NIS units, or separate
chapters of the General Surveys can be obtained directly or through
liaison channels from the Central Intelligence Agency.
The General Survey is prepared for the NIS by the Central Intelligence
Agency and the Defense Intelligence Agency under the general direction
of the NIS Committee. It is coordinated, edited, published, and dissemi-
noted by the Central Intelligence Agency.
WARNING:
This document contains information off-Wing the national defense of the United States, within the
meaning of title 18, sections 793 and 794 of the US code, as ameoclod. IN transmission or revelation
of Its contents to or roceipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
CLASSIFIED BY 019641. EXEMPT FROM GENERAL DECLASSIFI-
CATION SCHEDULE OF E. O. 11632 EXEMPTION CATEGORIES
SB (1), (2), (3). DECLASSIFIED ONLY ON APPROVAL OF THE
DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE.
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110048 -1

WARNING
The NIS is National Intelligence and may not be re-
leased or shown to representatives of any foreign govern-
ment or international body except by specific authorization
of the Director of Central Intelligence in accordance with
the provisions of National Security Council Intelligence Di-
rective No. 1.
For NIS containing unclassified material, however, the
portions so marked may be made available for official pur-
poses to foreign nationals and nongovernment personnel
provided no attribution is made to National Intelligence or
the National Intelligence Survey.
Subsections and graphics nre individually classified
according to content. C loss ification/ control designa-
tions are:
(U /OU) Unclassified /For Official Use Only
(C) Confidential
(S) Secret
s
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110048 -1

I. v v v l WWI I W. V I!l t\ 4J I V t WWI V f t\ Y V V i V V t 1 V V T V t
This chapter was prepared for the NIS by the
Central Intelligence Agency, Research was sub-
stantially completed by October 1972,
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110048 -1

KIN NlJ1AM oIwmI WIN au t II l t Mino A 51 TOLD
r?
C
i
k
1.
u
t
CONTENTS
This General Survey supersedes the One dined Jun
tu� 'y I9O9, cuitie, of which should be dedi'( lied.
A. Irrtroduction 1
Developnient of Cnatcniala Into it modern stuto;
important political Irndet;v itnd trcuds.
B. Structure and functioning{ of the government 3
1. Constitution 3
Discussion of the mist important features of
the Constitution.
2. Executive branch 3
n. President 3
I'residc mill elections, qualifications, and
authority; powers In public order and
defense,
b. Vice President and the presidential
succession
Vice presidential elections, qualifications,
assumption of the presidency.
Srcttrr
No 1' ovEIGN DissrM
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110048 -1

LWW%7lVV! I V. V111
Page,+
c. Ministers of state
5
Ust of nainistrius, minibter of state quall-
ficMions and responsibilities; Council of
Ministers.
parties.
d. Autonomous agencies
5
Various autonomous and scrniautonomous
1 i
agencies of govornaawnt.
Formation and duvolopnaent of
e. Council of Stato
6
hunctions of the Council of State and
naonabership.
Itch ievon lei) In, and activities.
f. Public Ministry
6
Composition and responsibilities of the
Public Ministry, headed by the Attorney
mocracy DCC
Crneral.
g. Civil service
Inadmuncics of the civil service and its
Of this liberal oriented party.
probluans.
3. Legislative branch
6
Mection of unicameral Congress, qualifica-
Unity group (URD)
tions to he a doputy, composition of Congrou
and responsibilities,
4. Judicial branch
7
Composition of the judiciary and qualifications
of judges.
5. Local government
8
Division of the country Into departments acid
nnuaicipalitics; election of local officials.
C. Political dynamics
9
1. Political forces
9
Major political forces are the military, upper
class, and political parties.
paring for the 1074 elections,
n. Military
g
Although supposedly nonpolitical, the rnili.
14
tary has been the determining factor In
Business and conmaercial groups, largo land-
politics for years.
b. Uppr.r class
9
Exerts control through economic power.
labor, and students.
c. Political parties
9
Usually revolve around nu Individual
1.6
lender; laws pertaining to parties.
Historical dovelnpment, slow inclusion of the
(1) C.rovcrnment coalition parties
1.0
(a) National Liberation Move-
ment MLN)
10
Development of the MLN as
D. National policies
n political party, orientation,
I.
leaders.
17
(b) Democratic Institutional
General reformist trend of domestic policy
Party PID)
11
Evolution of the 1 political
orientation, lenders.
a. Pacification
(c) Tito MLN /PID coalition
11.
Political power of tLe coalition
and differences betwouta parties.
by the Arnna government.
ii
Page
1.
Ci
ti
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110048 -1
(2) Opposition parties
1.1
C;ollsirainis placed against these
parties.
(at Revolutionary Party P11
1 i
Formation and duvolopnaent of
the party, political oriunlation,
Itch ievon lei) In, and activities.
(b) Cuatemalan Christian De-
mocracy DCC
12
Lenders, ideology and activities
Of this liberal oriented party.
(c) Democrattic Revolutionary
Unity group (URD)
1.3
Nonlegal party, leftist oriented.
d Communist party
13
The IIGT is nn illegal pnrly; or-
ganization, principal lenders,
aumthernlaip, and aactiviticm,
(3) Canipatign inanvuvering in 1972
1.4
Activities of the principal parties pre-
paring for the 1074 elections,
2
Special interest groups
14
Business and conmaercial groups, largo land-
owners, foreign corporations, professionals,
labor, and students.
3.
Electoral procedures and the electorate
1.6
Historical dovelnpment, slow inclusion of the
Indian, supervision of elections, eligibility
of voters and candidates.
D. National policies
17
I.
Don�aestic policies
17
General reformist trend of domestic policy
since 1944; policy of various administrations.
a. Pacification
1.8
Efforts to pacify the leftist movelnents
by the Arnna government.
b. Economic and social development
19
Adoption of at national development plan;
onaphasis on the efficient use of existing
facilities; rapid population growth.
c. Implementattion of development pol-
icies
20
Interest of President Arlon in economic
and social development; s;hnulation of do-
velopment; Improvement in primary edu-
cation.
d. Propaganda programs
21
Directed towards publicizing public wel-
fare and service programs and Cuatenaala's
position on British Ilonduras.
2.
Foreign policies
21
a. Relations with Central American re-
publics
21.
Guatemalan idea of unity; structure of
ODECA; attempts to maintain friendly
relations.
1.
Ci
ti
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110048 -1

Q
Pate
0
I
la, The British ilondlras probit-Ill
22
11 -Mort' of 0111telllldllll china, nedlutioll
29
effort.-:, current status,
C. RvIlit'iolls with MCXICo
2;3
Conerally friendly relations,
31
d. Rclatiolls with the Unitcxl Statcs
23
Cood relations ore of paramount impor-
lmlce to (i11111vIIIII111; 1 asslsllulev.
c. Relations with doll- C,ommurist
countries
23
Limitmi relations with all i tlrote ml mull=
tries except West Germany.
f. Relations with "orlunnnist Countries
23
No dlillomatic rchatimm and lirullecl (.mo-
merclal ties,
E. Threats to government stability
23
I. Discontcnt and dissidence
2,3
Widespread nlionntiou with government a
society, with resultant active insurgency,
a. Military
24
Supports the status cauo; actively cogaged
In counterinstngcnc;v program,
b. Minority and ethnic groups
25
No official discriuEnntiol: with only local
problems with foreign Ininocitles; division
betwecvl indlglnous indituls and oaodcrn
society is potentially explosive! issno,
L'. IntCiiCCtlltd Ct1111111111lity
25
Most antigovernment elcnacvlt Ill the colm-
try, and most fcal'ocl by tic coltscITLItIvcs
ill power.
Page
d, karat and urblul workers 26
()rgaoizcd luln)r weak noel rural workers
arc not only disorpanlzcd bill also resigot -d
to dear mcvlgcv' exlstcnce
2, Subvvi'sioll 26
Major tlu�cat to security collws from the
eextrcine left; activities of rural noel urban
terrorists.
3, Insurgency 27
Illstol'y w r tlW dvvelopounit of thu Insurgency;
principal It groups taut thou activEllcx;
government eottnteractlorlo,
NI'lintenunce of internal security
29
1. Police
29
8tl�Iletll)'v ell imlive foreeS, stl�ellglEl, c'Ai)a-
bilille:s, and 11111ltations,
2. Intellipnce services
31
The CTIt is the principal intelligence and ill
vcstigalive service; limitations; arllly intclli-
krel o.
3. Coll"1terstlim- l sive and Coll llterinsu1�-
g(Ilcy Ilwastu�as and capabilities
31
I,cglllity of operations: army responsibility;
(`Stralvglll organizations 1tud operatiolls,
C. Selected bibliography 32
Chronology 33
Glossary 35
FIGURES
Fig. 1
Fit;. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Page
Stmeture of governmelit (chart) 5
Pl�Csidential elections (chart) Ip
The 16'66 and 19 pr esidential and
congressional elections chart) 10
Party representation in Congress
(chart) i.l
Page
!gig. 5 Political figures (photos) 15
Mario Sandoval Alarcon (MLN) 15
Carlos Sagastullle (PR) 15
Rene de Leon Schlo (DC'G) 15
Manuel Colom Argueta (F UJI13) 15
Fig. 6 Organization of secrlrity forces (chart) 29
IN
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110048 -1

Government
and Politics
A. Introduction (S)
Although a democracy in form, Guatemala is
completely unpmpared for democratic rule. It has
been dominated throughout its history, except for brief
periods, by an oligarchic tipper Blass devoted to
protecting its own economic interests and by the
armed forces, which traditionally have bee the tnost
important political force in the cotmlry, The people
have had little opportunity or desire for democratic
expression or even for acquiring an elencntary
understanding of dcrnocratic. processes. Many of the
citizenry are illiterate, poverty slriken, apathetic, and
offer cynical. Most political groups are without a
guiding philosophy or mass base and their leaders are
interested more in personal power than in national
development. CoustHiitional guarantees of political,
economic, and social "rights" for the people have
icen largely ignored, and programs to raise the
standard of living of the majority have been neglected
or found impractical even by their advocates when
once in power. The armed forces, harassed by
Communist insurgents since about 1963, have
responded with a terrorist campaign of their own. This
counterterrorist activity was moderatciv successful in
curlail;ng Cornmunist activities, but the breakdown of
law and order resulting from the clash of these two
forces has compounded the problvitt of endenic
violcnee, although it served to strengthen gov(miment
stability.
III its backw;rcfness, divided culture, ;ud highly
ttneyu;I distribution of wealth and infltcnev,
Guatemala is representative of marry nations which
developed from the imposition of Spanish colonial
culture oil a large Italian population, Following the
Central American declarction of indepcmlence frorr.
Spain ill 1821, Guatemala participated in unsuccessful
attenpts to form a larger regional organization. After
the collapse of the -;hart -lived Central Americall
Confederation in 1839. Guatemala functioned
independently and finally declared itself a republic i
18 From then until 1044 the presidency was held by
a succession of caudillos, (political bosses) most of
them somewhat despotic. Elections were held only
when the incumbent government could assure its own
success, and revolution became the only effective way
to change administrations. 'i'he lust of the caudillus
was (:en, Jorge Ubico, who remained ill power from
1931 until he was forded to resign in the revolution of
19
Before the fall of Ubico, Guatemaia was bound in a
feudalistic economy characterized by large land-
APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110048 -1
President Carlos Arana Osorio (U /OU)

holdingF. operated by forced labor, mainly Indian. The
Indian was afficiully denigrated, maintained wilhi1 a
caste structure, and excluded from national life. A
niniseule middle class was employed almost entirely
in services, 'I'hc coticclat of broad national intcgest was
undoveiula.d; the only contact local conmnnoilfes had
Willi the na.tiollal scene was through authoritarian
local ad munistrators appointed b the central power,
The social character of the revolution of 1944 and
the ctrlphasis placed upon political derlucrucv
inspired political activity, The C.orlstilution of 1915
was one Of the most liberal and progressive in the
country's history, Government, however, was ill Ille
hands of inexperienced idealists unable to rrleet the
problems of a coffee M)d balana export economy with
insufficient local capital and industry. C(, imunists, in
am
atmosphere of collfllsie ra, were able to lake
advantage of the lack of trained public servants ;Ind to
use the free processes and institutions to entrcuch
themselves in vital positions and finally to dominate
the governmunt. Tll(c success of the alit i Cc rnmill ist
MIT ill 1954, led by Col. Carlos Castillo Armas, was
almost tinivcrsally credited to (i.s, support. After
Castillo's assassination in July 1957, Gnatcrmda was in
Political ttinnoil. Miguel Ydigorw F acmes (1958 63),
contillually threattened by pl'loltha l.; from both the 1("I't
and the right, PL�ev("d off one group agaillsl aaother
and flrther divided an ;already broken body Politic.
Mterinined that leftist President Juan Jose
Arevaio (1945 -51) should not run in the elections
scheduled for November 1963 and suspicious of
Ydigoras' failure to back them on the issue, the
military had for some alite considered a Preventive
coup. When Arevalo returned to the coun(rv
clandestinely on 19 March, the I)efense Minister, Col.
1.oriyuc' Peralta Azurdia who tuatil then hacl
remained loyal to President Ydigoras, led the smoothly
executed ejection of Ydigoras. Peralta, as ranking
military Officer, assumed I 111 executiyc and
legi lative functions, as Congress was dissolved, the
Constitution abro gated, and political activity
suspended under stringent state of siege Provisions.
General public reaction to the coup, was one of
aci:eptarlce and relief, for ca tense atmosphere had
pervaded political ard economic life for rncrtths.
The military government, halving pledged itself to
honest administration, promotion of a cli Hale of
effective dernocracy, and the return of power to a
freely elected successor, did in fact give more than lip
service to these aims. It attempted, against all the odds
of traditional corruption, to Provide good government.
In March 1964 it lifted pile state of siege and for a
while became lenient toward legitirmate centrist to
2
rightwing political activity, which it saw as to thn