Conventional Long Form Name of Country: Republic of Guatemala Capital City: Guatemala City Type of Government: Constitutional Democratic Republic Date of Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain) National Holiday(s) [Date and Celebration]: Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Chief of State [Picture below]: President Otto Fernando Perez Molina Head of Government: President Otto Fernando Perez Molina Executive Branch/Powers: The president is both the chief of state and head of the government. The Vice President is Ingrid Roxana Baletti Elias (since 14 January 2012) The elections for both President and Vice-President is elected by the same ticket by a popular vote for the four year term (may not serve consecutive terms). Legislative Branch/Powers: Unicameral congress of the Republic of Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members elected through a party list proportional representation system) Judical Branch/Powers: Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitucionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges and five alternate judges are elected by Congress for concurrent five-year terms); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (13 members are elected by Congress to 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) Suffrage: Ambassador to the United States: Ambassader (vacant) Embassy in the United States: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 Guatemala's consulate(s) in the United States [City&States]: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Providence, San Francisco United States Ambassador to Guatemala: Ambassador Arnold A. Chacon Guatemala Ambassador to United States: Vacant Guatemala's representative to the United States: Vacant Location of United States Embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City Location of United States Consulates: Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Providence, San Francisco Guatemala's representative to the UN: N/A National Symbol: Quetzal (bird)
President Otto Fernando Perez Molina
The picture to the left portrays Otto fernando Perez Molina, the Chief of State and head of the government.
Guatemala's Flag
Guatemala's flag consists of 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) representing liberty 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 signifying Guatemala's willingness to defend itself and a pair of crossed swords representing honor and framed by a laurel wreath symbolizing victory; the blue bands stand for the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and the sea and sky; the white band denotes peace and purity.