Revolutionary Party (Guatemala)
Encyclopedia
The Revolutionary Party was the ruling Guatemala
n political party
from 1966 to 1970.
The party was founded in 1957 by Mario Méndez Montenegro and, although on the moderate left
it was claimed that during the early 1960s the country's communists
had adopted a policy of entryism
towards the PR and this was used as justification for the coup of Enrique Peralta Azurdia
.
Despite this the PR survived the coup and contested the 1966 general election
, managing to gain the 50,000 members required by the military government in order to be allowed to run. Montenegro was initially chosen as their Presidential
candidate and he agreed to an alliance with the military-backed Institutional Democratic Party
(PID). However prior to the vote Montenegro died and was replaced as candidate by his brother Julio César Méndez Montenegro
, a more committed reformer who repudiated the alliance with the military.
The younger Montenegro brother was duly elected as President although his promised reforms were implemented poorly as, despite his repudiation of any alliance, the military remained too powerful a check on his ambitions. Alongside this the government was also blighted by violence from the far right
National Liberation Movement
, who would go on to be the PID's running mates in their successful 1970 election
campaign.
The PR remained an important opposition force despite not regaining the Presidency, although in the later 1970s the party moved to the right
and became more well disposed towards the military to the point that they were the PID's
running mates in the 1978 general election
which saw Fernando Romeo Lucas García
elected as President. The coalition was maintained for 1982 when it backed Ángel Aníbal Guevara
, who won a fraudulent election. The blatant fraud was one of the factors triggering a military coup which placed Efraín Ríos Montt
in power.
In Constitutional Assembly elections
in 1984, the PR won 10 seats. In 1985
, the PR formed an alliance with the Democratic Party of National Conciliation and backed Jorge Serrano Elias
in the presidential race. Serrano placed third and the alliance won 11 seats in Congress. The PR lost its influence to the point that when the 1990 election
was held, the party captured only one seat in the Congress
. The single seat was subsequently lost and the PR faded from Guatemalan politics.
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 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...
from 1966 to 1970.
The party was founded in 1957 by Mario Méndez Montenegro and, although on the moderate left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
it was claimed that during the early 1960s the country's communists
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
had adopted a policy of entryism
Entryism
Entryism is a political tactic by which an organisation or state encourages its members or agents to infiltrate another organisation in an attempt to gain recruits, or take over entirely...
towards the PR and this was used as justification for the coup of 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...
.
Despite this the PR survived the coup and contested 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...
, managing to gain the 50,000 members required by the military government in order to be allowed to run. Montenegro was initially chosen as their Presidential
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...
candidate and he agreed to an alliance with the military-backed Institutional Democratic Party
Institutional Democratic Party
The Institutional Democratic Party was a Guatemalan 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...
(PID). However prior to the vote Montenegro died and was replaced as candidate by 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...
, a more committed reformer who repudiated the alliance with the military.
The younger Montenegro brother was duly elected as President although his promised reforms were implemented poorly as, despite his repudiation of any alliance, the military remained too powerful a check on his ambitions. Alongside this the government was also 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....
, who would go on to be the PID's running mates in their successful 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...
campaign.
The PR remained an important opposition force despite not regaining the Presidency, although in the later 1970s the party moved to the right
Right-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
and became more well disposed towards the military to the point that they were the PID's
Institutional Democratic Party
The Institutional Democratic Party was a Guatemalan 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...
running mates 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...
which saw 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...
elected as President. The coalition was maintained for 1982 when it backed Ángel Aníbal Guevara
Ángel Aníbal Guevara
Ángel Aníbal Guevara Rodríguez is a Guatemalan soldier and politician. He was born in La Democracia, Escuintla in 1924.Having served as defense minister in the previous administration, Guevara was victorious in the 7 March 1982 presidential election to succeed outgoing President Romeo Lucas, who...
, who won a fraudulent election. The blatant fraud was one of the factors triggering a military coup which placed 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...
in power.
In Constitutional 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, the PR won 10 seats. In 1985
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 PR formed an alliance with the Democratic Party of National Conciliation and backed Jorge Serrano Elias
Jorge Serrano Elías
Jorge Antonio Serrano Elías was President of Guatemala from January 14, 1991 to May 31, 1993.-Career:Serrano was born April 26, 1945 in Guatemala City as the son of Jorge Adán Serrano and Rosa Elías...
in the presidential race. Serrano placed third and the alliance won 11 seats in Congress. The PR lost its influence to the point that when the 1990 election
Guatemalan general election, 1990
General elections were held in Guatemala on 16 November 1990. with a second round of the presidential election held on 6 January 1991. The presidential election resulted in a victory for Jorge Antonio Serrano Elías of the Movement of Action in Solidarity, whilst the National Centre Union won the...
was held, the party captured only one seat in the Congress
Congress of Guatemala
The Congress of the Republic is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Guatemala.It comprises 158 deputies, who are elected by direct universal suffrage to serve four-year terms . Twenty-nine of these are elected from nationwide lists, with the rest on a district list basis...
. The single seat was subsequently lost and the PR faded from Guatemalan politics.