por What is the Guatemalan flag?
The Guatemala’s flag It is the national symbol of this Central American republic. It is composed of three vertical stripes of the same size. The two extreme ones are light blue, and the central one is white.
In the middle of the white stripe is the country’s national coat of arms, with the quetzal, a scroll with the date of independence, two rifles and bayonets, and a laurel wreath.
The origins of this flag go back to the independence of Central America from the Spanish Empire, at the beginning of the 19th century. From the beginning, the colors light blue and white were imposed on the symbols, although there were variations in blue.
When Guatemala gained its independence from the Central American federation in 1839, the flag became 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 measurements of the flag took effect in 1968, almost a century later.
History of the flag
Initially, Guatemala was a Spanish colony, and later, 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 are essentially maintained.
Life in independent Guatemala also brought changes to the national flag, especially in the conservative governments of the second half of the 19th century.
However, since 1871 the Guatemalan flag was approved and is the one that has been maintained until today, with the later addition of the shield in the central part.
Spanish colonization
Guatemala was a colony of the Spanish Empire. At first, the flag of the Cross of Burgundy was the one used in the Spanish colonies of the world.
However, by 1785 King Carlos III decided to grant new symbols to Spain, especially in the naval and merchant part.
At this time, the currently known as the red flag was born, with two small red stripes at the ends and a large yellow stripe in the center.
In addition, it incorporated the simplified Spanish shield on the left side. This flag was maintained until independence.
mexican empire
The end of Spanish colonization occurred throughout Latin America at the beginning of the 19th century. In the Viceroyalty of New Spain, with its capital in Mexico City, the pre-independence movements unleashed a war that lasted for more than ten years.
After the dejection of many independence leaders, an independent state was consolidated in Mexico under a monarchical form since 1821. The territory of the Mexican Empire also included all the possessions of the General Captaincy 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 establish a Federation, with its capital in Guatemala City.
The flag of the First Mexican Empire was composed of three vertical stripes green, white and red. In the central part of the white stripe the coat of arms of the country was positioned, with the eagle crowned on the nopal.
United Provinces of Central America
Belonging to the Mexican Empire was ephemeral and the peoples of Central America sought another way of associating. For having been the colonial capital of the Captaincy General of Guatemala, it led the formation and creation of the United Provinces of Central America in 1823.
This federation approved patriotic symbols in a decree of August 21, 1823. The flag had three equal horizontal stripes. The ones at the ends were light blue and the central one was white.
In the middle of the flag was the coat of arms, made up of a circle with a seascape, and inside a triangle with a mountain, a sun and a Phrygian cap.
Federal Republic of Central America
The United Provinces of Central America changed their name. After the Constituent Assembly of 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, formed in part from the current Guatemalan and Mexican territories.
The flag of the Federal Republic of Central America also changed in 1824. Although the light blue and white colors remained in a flag with three stripes, the coat of arms was modified. Its shape was an oval, and it had a couple of branches drooping from its top.
Guatemalan State
The State of Guatemala was one of the political entities belonging to the Federal Republic of Central America. Thus, in 1825, the State of Guatemala approved decree number 30, which 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 some arrows. In the lower part, a cache with various trophies and the flag was established.
In addition, the country acquired a new flag, 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 more intense. The central one was white, where the shield was included.
This flag was in force until 1843. However, Guatemala became independent from the Federal Republic of Central America in 1839, which is why it continued to use it as the national flag for those first years.
change in shield
The conservative government, headed by Rafael Carrera y Turcios, decided to modify the Guatemalan shield. The new design was approved on November 14, 1843, and had an impact on the design of the flag.
The shield removed the triangle inside the circle on the previous shields, and removed the sun and mountains. These came 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 maintained, an olive wreath was added to the edges and the inscription was changed to GUATEMALA IN CENTRAL AMERICA.
The Spanish Red Gueldo
The 30-year conservative government of Rafael Carrera y Turcios undertook a process in which it took the colors of the Spanish rojigualda flag, in union with the Guatemalan one.
By 1843 the flag changed: the left half was made up of red, in the upper band, and yellow, in the lower one.
The white stripe in the center was kept on the entire flag, as well as the blue ones on the other half. The shield changed its 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 popular sentiment.
However, the order came from Carrera y Turcios himself after advice from Bishop Juan José de Aycinena y Piñol. The liberal forces expressed their opposition to the return of the colonial colors.
Red-and-gold flag of 1858
Rafael Carrera y Turcios starred in another change of flag and national emblem. Again, the national flag maintained the three colors that identified it.
On this occasion, the blue stripes were reduced to the upper and lower ends. These were followed by equally sized red and white stripes, with half of the flag being 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 remained, but over the sea.
Light blue and white vertical stripes were added to the upper quarter. Presiding over the shield, it was placed in the sun, and on each side two national flags with their poles were included.
The inscription “GUATIMALAE RESPÚBLICA SUB DEI OPTIM MÁXIMO PROTECTIONE” was incorporated into a white ribbon divided into four pieces.
liberal reform
President Carrera y Turcios died in 1865. Vicente de la Cerna y Cerna assumed power and held for seven years until the Liberal Revolution, led by Miguel García Granados, overthrew him in 1871.
The change in the symbolic also came quickly after the triumph of the Liberal Revolution. On August 17 of the same 1871, President Miguel García Granados decreed the new flag and national shield.
New flag and shield
The decree restored the colors of the National Constituent Assembly of 1823, but they were arranged in three vertical stripes.
Those at the ends were light blue and the center white. In the middle of the flag, the new national coat of arms was incorporated, approved on November 18, 1871.
The shield is made up of two crossed swords and two rifles. Above them is a scroll that reads: “Freedom. September 15, 1821”.
The most outstanding symbol of the shield is the quetzal. On the outside, the shield was accompanied by two laurel branches. This symbol, like the flag, is still valid.
Meaning of the flag
The Central American flags have a common origin, and for this 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 Mendez’s 1968 decree established meanings for different components of the flag and shield.
In it, he noted that blue represents justice and loyalty, and is identified with the Guatemalan sky. White, on the other hand, evokes purity and dignity.
The shield also has different meanings. For example, swords represent sovereignty and justice, and laurel branches represent victory.
The quetzal is the symbol of freedom, while the date of the independence of Central America is inscribed on the parchment.
References
Brignoli, HP (1985). Brief history of Central America. Recovered from alianzaeditorial.es.
Choc, D. (nd). The flag that identifies the Guatemalans. Recovered from mundochapin.com.