Guatemalan parliamentary election, 1994

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Parliamentary elections were held in Guatemala on 14 August 1994, [1] following the premature dissolution of Congress during the 1993 constitutional crisis, and in view of implementing constitutional reforms approved in January 1994. The result was a victory for the Guatemalan Republican Front, which won 33 of the 80 seats. Voter turnout was just 21%. [2]

Guatemala republic in Central America

Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, Belize and the Caribbean to the northeast, Honduras to the east, El Salvador to the southeast and the Pacific Ocean to the south. With an estimated population of around 16.6 million, it is the most populated country in Central America. Guatemala is a representative democracy; its capital and largest city is Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción, also known as Guatemala City.

The 1993 Guatemala constitutional crisis took place in 1993 when then President Jorge Serrano Elías attempted a self-coup or autogolpe. On Tuesday May 25, 1993, Serrano illegally suspended the constitution, dissolved Congress and the Supreme Court, imposed censorship and tried to restrict civil freedom.

Contents

The 1993 constitutional crisis started on 25 May 1993, when the then President Jorge Serrano Elías attempted a self-coup or autogolpe. Serrano suspended the constitution, dissolved Congress and the Supreme Court, imposed censorship and tried to restrict civil liberties. [3] Serrano's actions were met with broad national and international opposition and ruled "illegal" by the Constitutional Court of Guatemala, following which Serrano was forced to resign.

Jorge Serrano Elías President of Guatemala

Jorge Antonio Serrano Elías was President of Guatemala from January 14, 1991 to June 1, 1993.

Self-coup

A self-coup is a form of putsch or coup d'état in which a nation's leader, despite having come to power through legal means, dissolves or renders powerless the national legislature and unlawfully assumes extraordinary powers not granted under normal circumstances. Other measures taken may include annulling the nation's constitution, suspending civil courts and having the head of government assume dictatorial powers.

Censorship The practice of suppressing information

Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information, on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by a government private institutions, and corporations.

Results

PartyDistrictPRTotal seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Guatemalan Republican Front 172,64926.6126206,99432.22733
National Advancement Party 172,22426.5418162,18925.25523
Guatemalan Christian Democracy 84,39113.011178,01612.14213
National Centre Union 63,6979.82657,1558.9017
National Liberation Movement 36,7465.66228,5824.4513
Movement of Action in Solidarity 23,6043.64020,4183.1800.
Democratic Union 20,4463.15119,7323.0701
Revolutionary Party 18,0872.79017,7472.7600
Guatemalan Reformist Party 16,3002.51013,0072.0200
Democratic Social Party 11,1171.71013,6352.1200
Nationalist Authentic Centre 8,3881.2909,6921.5100
Institutional Democratic Party 6,2010.9605,5780.8700
National Unity Front 5,9010.91064951.0100
Progressive Party 5,5270.8500
Destitute People's Movement 3,1360.4900
Popular Democratic Front 2,5830.4000
Popular Alliance 5 5570.0900
Christian Social Party 4480.0700
Invalid/blank votes81,85882,017
Total730,72410064731,3931001680

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References

  1. Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p323 ISBN   978-0-19-928357-6
  2. Nohlen, p324
  3. Barry S. Levitt (2006), "A Desultory Defense of Democracy: OAS Resolution 1080 and the Inter-American Democratic Charter, Latin American Politics and Society, Volume 48, Issue 3, September 2006, Pages: 93–123. pp104-5

Bibliography