Guatemalan Christian Democracy

The Guatemalan Christian Democracy (Democracia Cristiana Guatemalteca), founded 24 August 1955, was a political party in Guatemala. It was a moderate reformist party, although also anti-Communist. It first won congressional seats in 1955. In 1957, it contested presidential elections but placed third, and remained in opposition. Not taking part in the 1966 elections, it placed third again in 1970. In 1974, DCG was part of the National Opposition Front that nominated Efraín Ríos Montt as its candidate and emerged as the largest opposition force in Guatemala; however, the legality of that election, in which Ríos Montt lost to Kjell Laugerud García, remains a matter of dispute. The party placed third again in 1978 and was part of the National Opposition Union in 1982 which placed third. Though a legal opposition party, many of its activists were targeted during the height of political violence under military rule. Like other opposition parties, it initially welcomed the 1982 coup that brought Ríos Montt to power, but would press for the restoration of constitutional government.

The party was one of the leading forces in the Constitutional Assembly elected in 1984. Its presidential candidate Vinicio Cerezo was successful in the 1985 election, winning a comfortable plurality in the first round and easily in the second round, with DCG winning 51 out of 100 congressional seats. Its political strength subsequently declined, with Luis Alfonso Cabrera Hidalgo placing third in 1990 and being reduced to 27 seats (out of 116) in Congress. In 1995 it backed Fernando Andrade Dias-Duran as part of a three-party coalition which placed third in the race. It did not field a presidential candidate in 1999 and won 2 seats.