Major Parties in Guatemala

Guatemala has twenty-six parties legally registered to compete in September's elections. I've just simplistically divided the twenty-six parties into three categories for now.

In the major party category, we have those seven parties that captured at least five per cent of the vote in either the 2007 legislative or executive election.

The Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) is the oldest party of the bunch, having been officially inscribed in 1990. It currently counts 7 members in the 158-member congress. General Efrain Rios Montt's daughter Zury Rios is the FRG's candidate.

2002 was a good year for Guatemala's political parties as four of those that were created that year each captured at least 5 percent of the legislative or executive vote in 2007.

The Patriotic Party (PP) currently maintains 33 members of congress and now has its sights set on the presidency. The Grand National Alliance (GANA) has 17 and the National Unity for Hope (UNE) has 40 members of congress. GANA and UNE are running Sandra Torres and Roberto Diaz-Duran for the presidency and look to be the PP's toughest competition.


Finally, the Unionist Party is the fourth to have been created in 2002. Mrs. Arzu is its presidential candidate while Mr. Arzu is running for re-election to the post of mayor of Guatemala City. Finally, Social Action Center (CASA). The party only counts two members of congress. As of a few weeks ago, Carlos Zúñiga was its presidential candidate. However, he jumped ship and was recently chosen as the PAN's vice presidential candidate.


And the final major party is Nineth Montenegro's Encounter for Guatemala (EG). Aside from Nineth, there's well...Well, there's Nineth. The EG is running alongside Vision with Values (VIVA). 


Just twenty more to go.