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Óscar Berger
Óscar José Rafael Berger Perdomo (; born 11 August 1946) is a Guatemalan businessman and politician who served as the 46th president of Guatemala from 2004 to 2008. He previously served as mayor of Guatemala City from 1991 to 1999. Early years and family Berger was born to an upper-class family with large sugar and coffee holdings. His paternal grandparents were Belgian immigrants. He graduated in law from the private Jesuit Rafael Landívar University. In 1967, he married Wendy Widmann, also from a land-owning Guatemalan family. He had a son and a grandchild named Juan Pablo Berger. Political career In 1985, Berger joined Álvaro Arzú's successful campaign to become mayor of Guatemala City. From January 1991 to June 1999, he was mayor himself. After leaving office, he ran in the 1999 presidential election as the candidate of the National Advancement Party but lost to Alfonso Portillo. A representative of the industrial and land oligarchy that financed his electoral c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eduardo Stein
Eduardo Stein Barillas (born 20 October 1946) is a Guatemalan diplomat who served as the Vice President of Guatemala from 14 January 2004 to 14 January 2008, serving a concurrent four-year mandate with President Óscar Berger. He is currently the Joint Special Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration for Venezuelan refugees and migrants. Prior to his election, he held several positions with the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Organization of American States. He also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Álvaro Arzú from 14 January 1996 to 14 January 2000. Eduardo Stein is a Member of the Global Leadership Foundation The Global Leadership Foundation (GLF) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization consisting of a network of former heads of state/government and other distinguished leaders (GLF Members), who seek to assist developing c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Privatization
Privatization (rendered privatisation in British English) can mean several different things, most commonly referring to moving something from the public sector into the private sector. It is also sometimes used as a synonym for deregulation when a heavily regulated private company or industry becomes less regulated. Government functions and services may also be privatised (which may also be known as "franchising" or "out-sourcing"); in this case, private entities are tasked with the implementation of government programs or performance of government services that had previously been the purview of state-run agencies. Some examples include revenue collection, law enforcement, water supply, and prison management. Another definition is that privatization is the sale of a state-owned enterprise or municipally owned corporation to private investors; in this case shares may be traded in the public market for the first time, or for the first time since an enterprise's previous natio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Constitutional Court Of Guatemala
The Constitutional Court of Guatemala is the highest court for constitutional law in the Republic of Guatemala. It is tasked with preserving the constitutional order by ruling on questions of the constitutionality of laws or state actions. The Court is normally composed of five titular or primary magistrates who serve five year terms. Each titular magistrate is appointed with a substitute. In special cases two substitutes are added to the bench for a total of seven to hear that case. Each titular member serves for one year as the president of the court. History The Court was established by Guatemala's Constitution of Guatemala, 1985 Constitution. The 1985 Constitution was written after the suspension of the prior constitution as part of Efraín Ríos Montt, Efraín Ríos Montt's Coup d'état on March 23, 1982. His regime suspended the constitution and the subsequent years demonstrated the need for stronger protections and thus a new constitution. Function The Constitution of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and international security, security, to develop friendly Diplomacy, relations among State (polity), states, to promote international cooperation, and to serve as a centre for harmonizing the actions of states in achieving those goals. The United Nations headquarters is located in New York City, with several other offices located in United Nations Office at Geneva, Geneva, United Nations Office at Nairobi, Nairobi, United Nations Office at Vienna, Vienna, and The Hague. The UN comprises six principal organizations: the United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly, the United Nations Security Council, Security Council, the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice, the United Nations Se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
International Commission Against Impunity In Guatemala
The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (, CICIG) was an international body charged with investigating and prosecuting serious crime in Guatemala. On January 7, 2019, the agreement between the United Nations and Guatemala was terminated by Guatemalan president Jimmy Morales, evoking CICIG's alleged participation in illegal acts, abuse of authority and acts against the constitution. The UN rejected this unilateral termination, and the country's highest law court ruled against the president's decision. CICIG's term was scheduled to end in September 2019. Morales' decision, approved by the country's business elite, triggered an institutional crisis in Guatemala, as the Constitutional court sided with CICIG. Morales is being investigated concerning his campaign financing. The CICIG helped Guatemalan law enforcement dismantle over 70 criminal structures between 2008 and 2019. According to a 2022 study, this may have prevented between 20,000–30,000 homicides over tha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Congress Of The Republic Of Guatemala
The Congress of the Republic () is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Guatemala. The Guatemalan Congress is made up of 160 deputies who are elected by direct universal suffrage to serve four-year terms. The electoral system is closed party list proportional representation. 31 of the deputies are elected on a nationwide list, whilst the remaining 127 deputies are elected in 22 multi-member constituencies. Each of Guatemala's 22 departments serves as a district, with the exception of the department of Guatemala containing the capital, which on account of its size is divided into two ''(distrito central'' and ''distrito Guatemala)''. Departments are allocated seats based on their population size and they are shown in the table below. Deputies by Department History Guatemala had a bicameral legislature in the 1845 constitution. It was replaced with the unicameral Chamber of Representatives (), which was in turn reformulated as the National Assembly () in 1879 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oligarchy
Oligarchy (; ) is a form of government in which power rests with a small number of people. Members of this group, called oligarchs, generally hold usually hard, but sometimes soft power through nobility, fame, wealth, or education; or through corporate, religious, political, or military control. Throughout history, power structures considered to be oligarchies have often been viewed as coercive, relying on public obedience or oppression to exist. Aristotle pioneered the use of the term as meaning rule by the rich, contrasting it with aristocracy, arguing that oligarchy was a corruption of aristocracy. Types Minority rule The consolidation of power by a dominant minority, whether religious or ethnic, can be considered a form of oligarchy. Examples include South Africa during apartheid, Liberia under Americo-Liberians, the Sultanate of Zanzibar, and Rhodesia. In these cases, oligarchic rule was often tied to the legacy of colonialism. In the early 20th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Unity Of Hope
The National Unity of Hope (, UNE) is a populist political party in Guatemala. It was founded in 2002 and defined itself as a social-democratic and Christian socialism, social-Christian party, but since transformed and is now described as a right-wing party. It is the largest political party in Guatemala by the number of members. Ideology At the time of its founding in 2002, it defined itself as a social-democratic and social-Christian party, but has gradually shifted to the right wing. It opposes lifting abortion and same-sex marriage bans in the country. However, it supports social programs aimed at uplifting the "forgotten" poor of the country. 2003 election At the legislative elections in Guatemala, elections held on November 9, 2003, the party won 17.9% of the popular vote and 32 out of 158 seats in Congress of Guatemala, Congress. Its presidential candidate Álvaro Colom won 26.4% in the presidential elections on the same day and was defeated in the second round, when he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Efraín Ríos Montt
José Efraín Ríos Montt (; 16 June 1926 – 1 April 2018) was a Guatemalan military officer, politician, and dictator who served as ''de facto'' President of Guatemala from 1982 to 1983. His brief tenure as chief executive was one of the bloodiest periods in the long-running Guatemalan Civil War. Ríos Montt's counter-insurgency strategies significantly weakened the Marxism, Marxist Guerrilla warfare, guerrillas organized under the umbrella of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG) while also leading to accusations of war crimes and genocide perpetrated by the Armed Forces of Guatemala, Guatemalan Army under his leadership. Ríos Montt was a career army officer. He was director of the Guatemalan military academy and rose to the rank of brigadier general. He was briefly chief of staff of the Guatemalan army in 1973. However, he was soon forced out of the position over differences with the military high command. He ran for president in the 1974 Guatemalan general el ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2003 Guatemalan General Election
General elections were held in Guatemala on 9 November 2003, with a second round of the presidential election held on 28 December.Dieter Nohlen (2005) ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I'', p323 Óscar Berger won the presidential election, representing the Grand National Alliance, a coalition of alliance of the Patriotic Party, the Reform Movement and the National Solidarity Party. The Alliance were also victorious in the Congressional elections, winning 47 of the 158 seats. Voter turnout was 57.9% in the Congressional elections, 58.9% in the first round of the presidential elections and 46.8% in the second.Nohlen, p324 Presidential election The ruling Republican Front of Guatemala (FRG) nominated former military ruler Efraín Ríos Montt to succeed outgoing president Alfonso Portillo Cabrera. A constitutional ban on former coup leaders (Ríos Montt during 1982–83) led to strong conflict inside the country, including the besiegement of Guatemala for a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
