FLAG OF GUATEMALA: HISTORY AND MEANING - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The flag of Guatemala is the national symbol of this Central American republic. It is made up of three vertical stripes of the same size. The two at the ends are light blue, while the central one is white.

In the middle of the white strip, the country's national coat of arms is positioned, with the quetzal, a scroll with the date of independence, two rifles and bayonets, and a laurel wreath.

Guatemala's flag. (User: K21edgo, from Wikimedia Commons).

The origins of this flag date back to the independence of Central America from the Spanish Empire, at the beginning of the 19th century. From the first moment, the colors celestial and white were imposed on the symbols, although there were variations with blue.

When Guatemala gained its independence from the Central American federation in 1939, the flag turned dark blue. Later it incorporated red and yellow during the conservative hegemony.

It was not until 1871, with the Liberal Revolution, that Guatemala adopted its current flag. The official measures of the flag came into effect in 1968, almost a century later.

The Guatemalan pavilion shares an aesthetic with the rest of the Central American nations, due to its common origin. Its meaning usually relates both blue stripes to the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

History of the flag

The history of the Guatemalan flag is directly marked by the political evolution of that country. At first, Guatemala was a Spanish colony and later it was part of the Mexican Empire.

Together with the rest of the Central American territories, they formed a federation from which they acquired their first symbols, which remain in essence.

The life of independent Guatemala also brought changes in the national flag, especially in the conservative governments of the second half of the 19th century.

However, since 1871 the flag of Guatemala was approved and it is the one that has been maintained until today, with the subsequent addition of the shield in the central part.

Spanish colonization

Guatemala, like much of America, was a colony of the Spanish Empire. From the sixteenth century, Spain took effective control of all of Central America. At first, the flag of the Cross of Burgundy was the one used in the Spanish colonies of the world.

Burgundy Cross Flag (By Ningyou., From Wikimedia Commons).

However, for the year 1785 King Carlos III decided to grant new symbols to Spain, especially in the naval and merchant part.

At this time, what is now known as the red-and-yellow flag was born, with two small red stripes at the ends and a large yellow stripe at the center.

In addition, it incorporated the simplified Spanish shield on the left side. This flag was kept until independence.

Naval flag and national flag of Spain (1785-1873) (1875-1931). (By previous version User: Ignaciogavira; current version HansenBCN, designs from SanchoPanzaXXI, via Wikimedia Commons).

Mexican empire

The end of Spanish colonization began to occur throughout Latin America in the early 19th century. In the case of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, with capital in Mexico City, the pre-independence movements unleashed a war that lasted for more than ten years.

After the demise of many independence leaders, in Mexico it was possible to consolidate an independent state under monarchical form since 1821. The territory of the Mexican Empire also included all the possessions of the Captaincy General of Guatemala.

However, its duration was short-lived, when the Casa Mata Plan was consummated in 1823, which overthrew the Emperor Agustín de Iturbide. The Central American solution to this situation was to unite its regions and form a federation, with its capital in Guatemala City.

The flag of the First Mexican Empire was composed of three vertical stripes of green, white and red. In the central part of the white strip, the country's coat of arms was positioned, with the eagle crowned over the nopal.

Flag of the Mexican Empire (1821-1823). (ByAldoEZ, fromWikimediaCommons).

United Provinces of Central America

Belonging to the Mexican Empire was short-lived and the peoples of Central America sought another way to associate. Guatemala, having been the colonial capital of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, took the lead in the formation and creation of the United Provinces of Central America in 1823.

This federation approved some national symbols in a decree of August 21, 1823. The flag of the new country had three equal horizontal stripes. Those at the ends were light blue and the central one white.

In the middle of the flag the coat of arms was located, which consisted of a circle with a seascape, having inside a triangle with a mountain, a sun and a Phrygian cap.

Flag of the United Provinces of Central America (1823-1824). (By Huhsunqu, via Wikimedia Commons).

Federal Republic of Central America

Quickly, the United Provinces of Central America changed their name. After the Constituent Assembly held on November 22, 1824, the country became the Federal Republic of Central America.

The new state was made up of Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. In addition, Guatemala itself would suffer a split in 1838 with the creation of the state of Los Altos, which was formed in part of the current Guatemalan and Mexican territories.

The flag of the Federal Republic of Central America also changed in 1824. Although the colors of blue and white were kept in a three-striped flag, the coat of arms was modified. Its shape became that of an oval, and to have a couple of branches falling at the top.

Flag of the Federal Republic of Central America (1824-1839). (By Huhsunqu, via Wikimedia Commons).

State of Guatemala

The State of Guatemala was one of the political entities belonging to the Federal Republic of Central America. In this way, on 20, 1825, the State of Guatemala approved decree number 30 that established the design of its new shield, to distinguish itself from the other states.

He kept the circle with the triangle of the national flag, but added some cornucopias and arrows. At the bottom a quiver with various trophies and the flag was established.

In addition, the country acquired a new flag. This was made up of three horizontal stripes of equal size. As in the case of the federation flag, the upper and lower ones were blue, but in this case, a much more intense one. The central one was white, and there the shield was included.

Flag of the State of Guatemala. (1825-1843). (Fornax, from Wikimedia Commons).

This flag remained in force until 1843. However, Guatemala became independent from the Federal Republic of Central America in 1839, so it continued to be used as a national flag for those early years.

Change in shield

Arguing aesthetic reasons and similarity with other national shields, the conservative government headed by Rafael Carrera y Turcios made the decision to modify the Guatemalan shield. Finally, the new design was approved on November 14, 1843, and that had an impact on the design of the flag.

The shield removed the triangle that was inside the circle in the previous shields, and removed the sun and mountains. These began to occupy the entire part of the circle, which was introduced into a new light blue surface with a red border.

In the upper part, the three arrows were kept, an olive crown was added to the edges and the inscription was changed to GUATEMALA IN CENTRAL AMERICA.

Guatemala's flag. (1843-1851). (No machine-readable author provided. Fornax assumed (based on copyright claims)., Via Wikimedia Commons).

Return to the Spanish rojigualdo

The 30-year conservative government of Rafael Carrera y Turcios undertook a process in which it took the colors of the Spanish red-and-yellow flag, in a union with the Guatemalan flag.

By 1943 the flag changed. Now, the left half was made up of the red color, in the upper band, and the yellow color, in the lower one.

The white stripe in the center remained throughout the flag, as well as the blue ones in the other half. The shield changed shape, included the two new colors and added a column with a date.

President Mariano Paredes, a puppet of Carrera y Turcios, argued that the colors yellow and red represented a popular sentiment.

However, the order came from Carrera y Turcios himself after a council from Bishop Juan José de Aycinena y Piñol. The liberal forces manifested their opposition to the return of the colonial colors.

Flag of the Republic of Guatemala (1851-1858). (Joins2003, from Wikimedia Commons).

Reddish-yellow flag of 1858

Rafael Carrera y Turcios starred in another change of the flag and national emblem. Again, the national flag kept the three colors that already identified it.

However, this time the blue stripes were reduced to the upper and lower extremes. These were followed by red and white stripes of the same size, with half of the flag occupied by a large yellow stripe.

In the central part of the pavilion the new national shield was located. The change was significant, because it acquired a shape similar to a pentagon in which the mountains and volcanoes were maintained, but on the sea.

In the upper barracks, vertical light blue and white stripes were added. Presiding over the shield was placed in the sun, and on each side two national flags were included with their antlers.

The inscription "GUATIMALAE RESPÚBLICA SUB DEI OPTIM MÁXIMO PROTECTIONE" was incorporated into a white ribbon divided into four pieces.

Flag of the Republic of Guatemala. (1858-1871). (Joins2003, from Wikimedia Commons).

Liberal Reform

President Carrera y Turcios died as a result of poisoning in 1865. Vicente de la Cerna y Cerna assumed power to continue with the legacy and it remained there for seven years until the Liberal Revolution, led by Miguel García Granados, he overthrew him in 1871. In this way, 30 years of conservative government in Guatemala came to an end.

The change in the symbolic also came quickly after the triumph of the Liberal Revolution. On August 17 of the same year 1871, President Miguel García Granados decreed the new flag and national emblem.

New flag and shield

The decree reestablished the colors of the National Constituent Assembly of 1823, but this time they were arranged in three vertical stripes.

Those at the ends were light blue while the central one was colored white. In the middle of the flag the new national coat of arms was incorporated, which was approved on November 18, 1871.

The shield is made up of two crossed swords and two rifles. Above them is a scroll that contains the inscription “Libertad. September 15, 1821 ".

The most prominent symbol of the shield is the quetzal. On the outside, the shield was accompanied by two laurel branches. This symbol, like the flag, are still in force.

Flag regulation

Despite the fact that the flag was legal since 1871, no legislation included its specific measurements or colors. It was not until 1968 when President Julio César Méndez Montenegro signed a governing agreement in which the colors, composition and location of each symbol were specified, as well as their meaning.

Meaning of the flag

The Central American flags have a common origin, and for that reason, it is possible to understand that they have similar meanings.

Coming from the United Provinces of Central America, it can be understood that the two blue stripes represent the two oceans that bathe the coasts: the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic, with the Caribbean Sea. This also applies to the Guatemalan flag.

However, President Méndez's decree of 1968 established meanings for different components of the flag and shield.

In it he noted that the blue color represents justice and loyalty, and that, in addition, it is identified with the sky of Guatemala. White, on the other hand, evokes purity and dignity.

The shield, an integral part of the national flag, also has different meanings. For example, swords represent sovereignty and justice, while laurel branches are those that represent victory.

The quetzal is the symbol of freedom, while the date of the independence of Central America is inscribed on the parchment.

References

1. Arias, E. (2006). Flags of the world. Editorial Gente Nueva: Havana, Cuba.
2. Association of Managers of Guatemala. (sf). Coat of arms of Guatemala. Association of Managers of Guatemala. Recovered from agg.org.gt.
3. Brignoli, HP (1985). Brief history of Central America. Alliance. Recovered from allianceeditorial.es.
4. Choc, D. (nd). The flag that identifies Guatemalans. Chapin World. Recovered from mundochapin.com.
5. González, L. (August 17, 2018). The National Flag turns 195 years old. Republic. Recovered from republica.gt.
6. Smith, W. (2011). Flag of Guatemala. Encyclopædia Britannica. Recovered from britannica.com.