Institutional Democratic Party
Encyclopedia
The Institutional Democratic Party ( or PID) was a Guatemala
n pro-government political party
active during the 1970s.
The PID was formed in 1963 by Enrique Peralta Azurdia
after he had seized power in a coup. A centre-right
party, it was modelled on the Mexican
Institutional Revolutionary Party
. From the onset the party was dominated by the country's military elite. Despite this the party maintained close links with individual civilian parties during its existence, with their civilian allies often outnumbering them in the Assembly.
The PID was first tested in the 1966 general election
when the leader of the Revolutionary Party of Guatemala, Mario Mendez Montenegro agreed to support the PID. However he died not long before the vote and his brother Julio César Méndez Montenegro
took over in his place. A supporter of reform, he split from the PID and won the election overwhelmingly. However his Presidency was blighted by violence from the far right
National Liberation Movement
(MLN) and the PID formed an alliance with this group for the 1970 election
, resulting in the success of their candidate Carlos Manuel Arana Osorio
.
In the 1974 general election
they were again supported by the MLN and their joint candidate Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García
secured the Presidency
. However this election saw cracks appear in the PID as all three candidates were leading military officers who would thus have been expected to support the party. These became more acute following the 1976 Guatemala earthquake
at a time when Laugerud was involved in a feud with Arana Osorio over control of the National Reconstruction Committee. Ultimately Laugerud put a block on Arana Osorio's activity by bringing one of his closest aides to trial for organising death squads, despite the fact that Laugerud had been involved in the same practice.
In the 1978 general election
the PID aligned with the Revolutionary Party to secure the election of Fernando Romeo Lucas García
. However after this victory internal divisions within the party continued to escalate, whilst from the outside the business community began to grow as more vocal critics, particularly over the issue of PID operatives using their positions to enrich temsleves. When plans to rig upcoming elections for the PID candidate came to light the military opposition took action by overthrowing Lucas Garcia and installing Efraín Ríos Montt
as President. As a result a new generation of young officers replaced the old and the PID did not continue after the coup.
The party won 5 seats in the Constituent Assembly elections
in 1984. For the 1985 elections
, the PID and MLN renewed their alliance and backed Mario Sandoval Alarcón
as presidential candidate, finishing fourth in the presidential race while becoming the third largest block in Congress.
A rump PID emerged in 1990 when it merged with the Guatemalan Republican Front
(FRG) and the National Unity Front to run for election as the No Sell-Out Platform, although this alliance quickly became dominated by the FRG.
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
n pro-government political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
active during the 1970s.
The PID was formed in 1963 by Enrique Peralta Azurdia
Enrique Peralta Azurdia
Alfredo Enrique Peralta Azurdia was President of Guatemala from 31 March 1963 to 1 July 1966.Enrique Peralta was born on June 17, 1908 in Guatemala City. He took over the presidency after a coup against president Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes...
after he had seized power in a coup. A centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
party, it was modelled on the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Institutional Revolutionary Party
Institutional Revolutionary Party
The Institutional Revolutionary Party is a Mexican political party that held power in the country—under a succession of names—for more than 70 years. The PRI is a member of the Socialist International, as is the rival Party of the Democratic Revolution , making Mexico one of the few...
. From the onset the party was dominated by the country's military elite. Despite this the party maintained close links with individual civilian parties during its existence, with their civilian allies often outnumbering them in the Assembly.
The PID was first tested in the 1966 general election
Guatemalan general election, 1966
General elections were held in Guatemala on 6 March 1966. After no candidate received 50% or more of the national vote, Julio César Méndez Montenegro was elected President by Congress on 10 May. On the Congressional elections, the Revolutionary Party won 28 of the 54 seats...
when the leader of the Revolutionary Party of Guatemala, Mario Mendez Montenegro agreed to support the PID. However he died not long before the vote and his brother Julio César Méndez Montenegro
Julio César Méndez Montenegro
Julio César Méndez Montenegro was the Revolutionary Party President of Guatemala from 1 July 1966 to 1 July 1970. The only civilian to occupy Guatemala's presidency during the long period of military rule between 1954 and 1986, Méndez was not allowed to act independently of the military and was...
took over in his place. A supporter of reform, he split from the PID and won the election overwhelmingly. However his Presidency was blighted by violence from the far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
National Liberation Movement
National Liberation Movement (Guatemala)
The National Liberation Movement was a Guatemala military-backed party formed in 1960 by Mario Sandoval Alarcón as a breakaway from the National Democratic Movement....
(MLN) and the PID formed an alliance with this group for the 1970 election
Guatemalan general election, 1970
General elections were held in Guatemala on 1 March 1970. No candidate received over 50% of the vote in the presidential election, resulting in Carlos Manuel Arana Osorio being elected by Congress on 21 March. The National Liberation Movement-Institutional Democratic Party alliance won the...
, resulting in the success of their candidate Carlos Manuel Arana Osorio
Carlos Manuel Arana Osorio
Carlos Manuel Arana Osorio was President of Guatemala from 1 July 1970 to 1 July 1974.Carlos Arana was born in Barberena, in the department of Santa Rosa....
.
In the 1974 general election
Guatemalan general election, 1974
General elections were held in Guatemala on 3 March 1974. No candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the presidential election, resulting in Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García being elected president by Congress on 12 March. The Congressional elections were won by an alliance of the...
they were again supported by the MLN and their joint candidate Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García
Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García
Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García was President of Guatemala from 1 July 1974 to 1 July 1978. He was the son of a Norwegian father and Guatemalan mother....
secured the Presidency
President of Guatemala
The title of President of Guatemala has been the usual title of the leader of Guatemala since 1839, when that title was assumed by Mariano Rivera Paz...
. However this election saw cracks appear in the PID as all three candidates were leading military officers who would thus have been expected to support the party. These became more acute following the 1976 Guatemala earthquake
1976 Guatemala earthquake
The 1976 Guatemala earthquake struck on February 4, 1976 at 03:01:43 local time . It was a 7.5 Mw earthquake, centered in the Motagua Fault, about 160 km northeast of Guatemala City, Guatemala...
at a time when Laugerud was involved in a feud with Arana Osorio over control of the National Reconstruction Committee. Ultimately Laugerud put a block on Arana Osorio's activity by bringing one of his closest aides to trial for organising death squads, despite the fact that Laugerud had been involved in the same practice.
In the 1978 general election
Guatemalan general election, 1978
General elections were held in Guatemala on 5 March 1978. No candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the presidential election, resulting in Fernando Romeo Lucas García being elected president by Congress on 13 March. The Congressional elections were won by the National Liberation...
the PID aligned with the Revolutionary Party to secure the election of Fernando Romeo Lucas García
Fernando Romeo Lucas García
Fernando Romeo Lucas García was the 25th President of Guatemala from 1 July 1978 to 23 March 1982...
. However after this victory internal divisions within the party continued to escalate, whilst from the outside the business community began to grow as more vocal critics, particularly over the issue of PID operatives using their positions to enrich temsleves. When plans to rig upcoming elections for the PID candidate came to light the military opposition took action by overthrowing Lucas Garcia and installing Efraín Ríos Montt
Efraín Ríos Montt
José Efraín Ríos Montt is a former de facto President of Guatemala, dictator, army general, and former president of Congress. In the 2003 presidential elections, he unsuccessfully ran as the candidate of the ruling Guatemalan Republican Front .Huehuetenango-born Ríos Montt remains one of the most...
as President. As a result a new generation of young officers replaced the old and the PID did not continue after the coup.
The party won 5 seats in the Constituent Assembly elections
Guatemalan Constitutional Assembly election, 1984
Constitutional Assembly elections were held in Guatemala on 10 June 1984. Although the National Centre Union received the most votes, an alliance of the National Liberation Movement and Nationalist Authentic Centre emerged as the largest bloc with 23 of the 88 seats. Voter turnout was...
in 1984. For the 1985 elections
Guatemalan general election, 1985
General elections were held in Guatemala on 3 November 1985, with a second round of the presidential elections taking place on 8 December. The presidential election resulted in a victory for Vinicio Cerezo, who had received $650,000 towards his campaign from media owner Remigio Ángel González...
, the PID and MLN renewed their alliance and backed Mario Sandoval Alarcón
Mario Sandoval Alarcón
Mario Sandoval Alarcón was a Guatemalan politician. He is the founder in 1960 of the Movimiento de Liberación Nacional . In 1954, he helped support colonel Carlos Castillo's coup against Jacobo Arbenz....
as presidential candidate, finishing fourth in the presidential race while becoming the third largest block in Congress.
A rump PID emerged in 1990 when it merged with the Guatemalan Republican Front
Guatemalan Republican Front
The Guatemalan Republican Front is a right-wing political party in Guatemala.It was created in 1989 by former president and dictator Efraín Ríos Montt, and formally registered in 1990...
(FRG) and the National Unity Front to run for election as the No Sell-Out Platform, although this alliance quickly became dominated by the FRG.