President of the Republic of Guatemala
Presidente de la República de Guatemala
Coat of arms of the President
Presidential flag
Incumbent Alejandro Giammattei since 14 January 2020
Office of the President of Guatemala National Security Council
Style	Mr. President (informal) Most Excellent Mr. President of the Republic (official)
Status	Head of state Head of government
Member of	Cabinet
Residence	Casa Crema
Seat	Guatemala City
Appointer	Supreme Electoral Court
Term length	Four years non-renewable
Constituting instrument	Guatemalan Constitution
Inaugural holder	Mariano Rivera Paz
Formation	December 3, 1839 (1839-12-03)
Deputy	Vice President of Guatemala
Salary	146,950 GTQ monthly ($18,863 as of May 2023)[1]
Website	www.presidencia.gob.gt

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The president of Guatemala (Spanish: Presidente de Guatemala), officially titled President of the Republic of Guatemala (Spanish: Presidente de la República de Guatemala), is the head of state and head of government of Guatemala, elected to a single four-year term. The position of President was created in 1839.

Requirements to hold office

According to article 185 of the constitution, the following is required to be president:

• A Guatemalan of origin who is a citizen in good standing.
• At least 40 years of age.

Under article 186, relatives of the incumbent president or vice president are not allowed to run in the succeeding election.

Duties and competences

According to article 183 of the constitution, the following duties and competences are conferred to the president:

• Comply with and enforce the Constitution and laws.
• Provide the defense and security of the Nation, as well as the preservation of public order.
• Exercise the command of the Armed Forces of Guatemala with all the respective functions and attributions.
• Exercise the command of the National Police.
• Approve, promulgate, execute and enforce laws.
• Dictate the provisions that are necessary in cases of serious emergency or public calamity, having to report to the Congress in its immediate sessions.
• Submit proposals of laws to the Congress.
• Exercise the right of veto with respect to the laws issued by the Congress, except in cases in which it is not necessary to sanction the executive branch in accordance with the Constitution.
• Present annually to the Congress, at the beginning of its session, written report on the general situation of the Republic and of the business of its administration carried out during the previous year.
• Submit annually to the Congress, for approval with no less than one hundred and twenty days prior to the date on which the fiscal year begins, through the Ministry of Public Finance, the draft budget that contains in detail the income and expenditures of the State. If the Congress is not in session, it must hold extraordinary sessions to hear about the project.
• Submit for consideration of the Congress for approval, and before ratification, treaties and conventions of international character and contracts and concessions on public services.
• To summon the Legislative Organism to extraordinary sessions when the interests of the Republic demand it.
• Coordinate the development policy of the Nation through the Council of Ministers.
• Preside over the Council of Ministers and exercise the function of hierarchical superior of the officials and employees of the Executive Organism.
• Maintain the territorial integrity and dignity of the Nation.
• Direct foreign policy and international relations, pronounce, ratify and denounce treaties and agreements in accordance with the Constitution.
• Receive the diplomatic representatives, as well as issue and withdraw the exequatur to the patents of the consuls.
• Administer public finances in accordance with the law.
• Exonerate of fines and surcharges to the taxpayers who have incurred in them for not covering the taxes within the legal terms for acts or omissions in the administrative order.
• Appoint and remove ministers of state, deputy ministers, secretaries and undersecretaries of the presidency, ambassadors and other officials that correspond to it according to the law.
• Grant premiums, pensions and subsidies in accordance with the Law.
• Award decorations to Guatemalans and foreigners.
• Within the fifteen days following its conclusion, inform the Congress about the purpose of any trip that has taken place outside the national territory and about the results thereof.
• Submit every four months to the Congress through the respective ministry an analytical report on the budget execution, for its knowledge and control.
• Exercise all other functions assigned by the Constitution or the law.

Heads of state of Guatemala within the Federal Republic of Central America (1824–1839)

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Alejandro Diaz Cabeza de Vaca (–) Provisional	15 September 1824	12 October 1824	27 days	Conservative
2		Juan Barrundia (–)	12 October 1824	9 September 1826	1 year, 332 days	Liberal
3		Cirilo Flores Estrada (1779–1826) Acting	9 September 1826	13 October 1826	34 days	N/A
4		Jose Domingo Estrada (–) Acting	2 January 1827	1 March 1827	58 days	Conservative
5		Mariano de Aycinena y Piñol (1789–1855)	1 March 1827	12 April 1829	2 years, 42 days	Conservative
6		Mario Zenteno (–) Provisional	13 April 1829	30 April 1829	17 days	Conservative
7		Juan Francisco Barrundia y Cepeda (–)	30 April 1829	23 August 1829	115 days	Liberal
8		Pedro Molina Mazariegos (1777–1854)	23 August 1829	10 February 1831	1 year, 171 days	Liberal
9		José Gregorio Márquez (–) Acting	10 February 1831	28 August 1835	199 days	N/A
10		Mariano Gálvez (c. 1794–1862)	28 August 1831	3 March 1838	6 years, 187 days	Liberal
11		Pedro José Valenzuela y Jáuregui (–) Acting	3 March 1838	29 July 1838	148 days	N/A
12		Mariano Rivera Paz (1804–1849) Acting	29 July 1838	30 January 1839	185 days	Conservative
13		Carlos Salazar Castro (1800–1867) Provisional	30 January 1839	13 April 1839	73 days	N/A
14		Mariano Rivera Paz (1804–1849) Acting	13 April 1839	3 December 1839	234 days	Conservative

Presidents of independent Guatemala (1839–present)

Note: Regarding the numbering of the terms, several reliable sources state that Jimmy Morales is the 50th president^[2][3][4]

List of presidents of Guatemala from 1839 – till date.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term	Party		Election	Vice President
1		Mariano Rivera Paz (1804–1849)	December 3, 1839 – February 25, 1842		Conservative	–	–
2		José Venancio López (1791–1863)	February 25, 1842 – May 14, 1842		Independent	–	–
3		Mariano Rivera Paz (1804–1849)	May 14, 1842 – December 14, 1844		Conservative	–	–
4		Rafael Carrera (1814–1865)	December 14, 1844 – August 16, 1848		Conservative	–	–
5		Juan Antonio Martínez (?–1854)	August 16, 1848 – November 28, 1848		Conservative	–	–
6		José Bernardo Escobar (1797–1849)	November 28, 1848 – January 1, 1849		Conservative	–	–
7		Mariano Paredes (1800–1856)	January 1, 1849 – November 6, 1851		Independent	–	–
8		Rafael Carrera (1814–1865)	November 6, 1851 – April 14, 1865		Conservative	–	–
9		Pedro de Aycinena y Piñol (1802–1897)	April 14, 1865 – May 24, 1865		Conservative	–	–
10		Vicente Cerna Sandoval (1815–1885)	May 24, 1865 – June 4, 1873		Conservative	–	–
11		Miguel García Granados (1809–1878)	June 29, 1871 – June 4, 1873		Liberal	–	–
12		Justo Rufino Barrios (1835–1885)	June 4, 1873 – April 2, 1885		Liberal	1873 1880	–
13		Alejandro M. Sinibaldi (1825–1896)	April 2, 1885 – April 5, 1885		Liberal	–	–
14		Manuel Barillas (1845–1907)	April 6, 1885 – March 15, 1892		Liberal	–	–
15		José María Reina Barrios (1854–1898)	March 15, 1892 – February 8, 1898		Liberal	1892	–
16		Manuel Estrada Cabrera (1857–1924)	February 8, 1898 – April 15, 1920		Liberal	1898 1904 1910 1916	–
17		Carlos Herrera (1856–1930)	April 15, 1920 – December 10, 1921		Unionist Party	1920 (Apr) 1920 (Aug)	–
18		José María Orellana (1872–1926)	December 10, 1921 – September 26, 1926		Liberal	1921 1922	–
19		Lázaro Chacón González (1873–1931)	September 26, 1926 – December 12, 1930		Unionist Party	1926	–
–		Baudilio Palma (1880–1930)	December 13, 1930 – December 17, 1930		Conservative	–	–
–		Manuel María Orellana Contreras (1870–1940)	December 17, 1930 – January 2, 1931		Liberal	–	–
20		José María Reina Andrade (1860–1947)	January 2, 1931 – February 14, 1931		Liberal	–	–
21		Jorge Ubico (1878–1946)	February 14, 1931 – July 1, 1944		Progressive Liberal Party	1931	Juan Federico Ponce Vaides
22		Juan Federico Ponce Vaides (1889–1956)	July 1, 1944 – October 20, 1944		Progressive Liberal Party	–	–
23		Revolutionary Government Junta	October 20, 1944 – March 15, 1945		Military	–	–
24		Juan José Arévalo (1904–1990)	March 15, 1945 – March 15, 1951		Revolutionary Action Party	1944	Mario Monteforte Toledo
25		Jacobo Árbenz (1913–1971)	March 15, 1951 – June 27, 1954		Revolutionary Action Party / Party of the Guatemalan Revolution	1950	–
26		Carlos Enrique Díaz de León (1915–2014)	June 27, 1954 – June 29, 1954		Military	–	–
27		Elfego Hernán Monzón Aguirre (1912–1981)	June 29, 1954 – July 8, 1954[lower-alpha 1]		Military	–	–
28		Carlos Castillo Armas (1914–1957)	July 8, 1954 – July 26, 1957		National Liberation Movement	1954	Miguel Ortiz Passarelli, Juan Francisco Oliva Luis Arturo González López, Guillermo Flores Avendaño
29		Luis Arturo González López (1900–1965)	July 27, 1957 – October 24, 1957		Independent	–	–
30		Óscar Mendoza Azurdia (1917–1995)	October 24, 1957 – October 26, 1957		Military	–	–
31		Guillermo Flores Avendaño (1894–1982)	October 26, 1957 – March 2, 1958		Military	–	Luis Urrutia de León Carlos Enrique Guillén Rodas
32		Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes (1895–1982)	March 2, 1958 – March 31, 1963		Military / REDENCION	1958	Clemente Marroquín Rojas, Crisóstomo Castillo Manuel Ralda Ochoa, Alberto J. Urrutia Vasconcelos Abrahan Cabrera Cruz, José Francisco Gómez Carranza Catalino Chávez Pérez, Óscar Ubico Zebadúa Ernesto Molina Arreaga, Rubén Flores Avendaño
33		Enrique Peralta Azurdia (1908–1997)	March 31, 1963 – July 1, 1966[lower-alpha 1]		Institutional Democratic Party	–	Catalino Chávez Pérez Joaquín Montenegro Paniagua
34		Julio César Méndez Montenegro (1915–1996)	July 1, 1966 – July 1, 1970		Revolutionary Party	1966	Clemente Marroquín
35		Carlos Arana Osorio (1918–2003)	July 1, 1970 – July 1, 1974		Institutional Democratic Party	1970	Eduardo Cáceres
36		Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García (1930–2009)	July 1, 1974 – July 1, 1978		Institutional Democratic Party	1974	Mario Sandoval Alarcon
37		Fernando Romeo Lucas García (1924–2006)	July 1, 1978 – March 23, 1982		Institutional Democratic Party	1978	Oscar Mendoza Azurdia Francisco Villagran Kramer
38		Efraín Ríos Montt (1926–2018)	March 23, 1982 – August 8, 1983		Military	–	–
39		Óscar Humberto Mejía Víctores (1930–2016)	August 8, 1983 – January 14, 1986		Military	–	Rodolfo Lobos Zamora
40		Vinicio Cerezo (b. 1942)	January 14, 1986 – January 14, 1991		DCG	1985	Roberto Carpio
41		Jorge Serrano (b. 1945)	January 14, 1991 – June 1, 1993		MAS	1990	Gustavo Espina
42		Gustavo Espina (b. 1946)	June 1, 1993 – June 5, 1993		MAS	–	–
43		Ramiro de León Carpio (1942–2002)	June 6, 1993 – January 14, 1996		Independent	1993	Arturo Herbruger
44		Álvaro Arzú (1946–2018)	January 14, 1996 – January 14, 2000		PAN	1995	Luis Alberto Flores Asturias
45		Alfonso Portillo (b. 1951)	January 14, 2000 – January 14, 2004		FRG	1999	Juan Francisco Reyes
46		Oscar Berger (b. 1946)	January 14, 2004 – January 14, 2008		GANA	2003	Eduardo Stein
47		Alvaro Colom (1951–2023)	January 14, 2008 – January 14, 2012		UNE	2007	Rafael Espada
48		Otto Pérez Molina (b. 1950)	January 14, 2012 – September 3, 2015		PP	2011	Roxana Baldetti Alejandro Maldonado
49		Alejandro Maldonado (b. 1936)	September 3, 2015 – January 14, 2016		Independent	–	Juan Alfonso Fuentes Soria
50		Jimmy Morales (b. 1969)	January 14, 2016 – January 14, 2020		FCN	2015	Jafeth Cabrera
51		Alejandro Giammattei (b. 1956)	January 14, 2020 – Incumbent		VAMOS	2019	Guillermo Castillo

President-elect

Further information: Presidential transition of Bernardo Arévalo and Inauguration of Bernardo Arévalo

Presidency		President		Party		Election	Vice President
52	Scheduled to begin January 14, 2024		Bernardo Arévalo		Semilla	2023	Karin Herrera

Latest election

Notes

References