Armed Forces of Guatemala

Armed Forces of Guatemala
Armed Forces of Guatemala
Fuerzas Armadas de Guatemala
Service branches	Guatemalan Army; Guatemalan Air Force; Guatemalan Navy; Presidential Honor Guard;
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	Alejandro Giammattei
Minister of National Defence	Henry Reyes Chigua
Chief of the General Staff	Hugo Roberto Urbina Marroquín
Personnel
Military age	18
Active personnel	106,114
Reserve personnel	90,000
Expenditure
Budget	USD $120 million (FY99)
Percent of GDP	0.6% (FY99)
Related articles
Ranks	Military ranks of Guatemala

The Guatemalan Armed Forces (Template:Lang-es) consists of the National Army of Guatemala (Ejercito Nacional de Guatemala, ENG), the Guatemalan National Defense Navy (Marina de la Defensa Nacional, includes Marines), the Guatemalan Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Guatemalteca, FAG), and the Presidential Honor Guard (Guardia de Honor Presidencial).

The Ministry of National Defence is the agency of the Guatemalan government responsible for the budget, training and policy of the armed forces. Based in Guatemala City, the Defence Ministry is heavily guarded, and the President of Guatemala frequently visits. As of 2017^[update] the Minister of National Defence is Major General Luis Miguel Ralda Moreno.^[1]

The Minister of Defense is responsible for policy. Day-to-day operations are the responsibility of the military chief of staff and the national defense staff.

History

Guatemala is a signatory to the Rio Pact and was a member of the Central American Defense Council (CONDECA). The President of the Republic is commander-in-chief.

Prior to 1945 the Defence Ministry was titled the Secretariat of War (Secretaría de la Guerra).

An agreement signed in September 1996, which is one of the substantive peace accords, mandated that the mission of the armed forces change to focus exclusively on external threats.^[2] Presidents Álvaro Arzú and his successors Alfonso Portillo, Óscar Berger and Álvaro Colom, have used a constitutional clause to order the army on a temporary basis to support the police in response to a nationwide wave of violent crime, a product of the Mexican criminal organizations going across the north-west region.

The peace accords call for a one-third reduction in the army's authorized strength and budget — achieved in 2004 — and for a constitutional amendment to permit the appointment of a civilian minister of defense. A constitutional amendment to this end was defeated as part of a May 1999 plebiscite, but discussions between the executive and legislative branches continue on how to achieve this objective.

In 2004 the army has gone beyond its accord-mandated target, and has implemented troop reductions from an estimated 28,000 to 15,500 troops,^[3] including subordinate air force (1,000) and navy (1,000) elements. It is equipped with armaments and material from the United States, Israel, Taiwan, Argentina, Spain, and France. As part of the army downsizing, the operational structure of 19 military zones and three strategic brigades are being recast as several military zones are eliminated and their area of operations absorbed by others. The air force operates three air bases; the navy has two port bases.^[4]

The Guatemalan army has a special forces unit (specializing in anti-insurgent jungle warfare) known as the Kaibiles. In 2011, a Guatemalan court convicted four members of the Kaibiles, of killing more than 200 civilians in the Dos Erres massacre in 1982.^[5] Each man was sentenced to 6,050 years in prison. Their convictions for their roles in the massacre nearly 30 years prior, in which soldiers killed more than 200 men, women, and children, would not have happened if not for the courage of victims of violence and Guatemala's attorney general, Claudia Paz y Paz. After the convictions of the Dos Erres four, based on a Guatemalan government's commitment to reorganize its special forces units, the U.S. Department of Defense resumed military aid.

Armed Forces Day

The Día del Ejército (Army Day or Armed Forces Day) is celebrated on 30 June, although if it occurs on a Tuesday or Wednesday it is celebrated on the prior Monday, and if it occurs on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday it moves to the following Monday.^[6]

Organization

The Armed Forces today number at around 39,000 active personnel.

Leadership

Service branches

Army

The Army or Land Forces are the oldest military branch of the armed forces. In the middle of the 19th century, General Rafael Carrera promoted it with the triumph in the Battle of San José La Arada, dated to 2 February 1851, a date that is today commemorated as the day of this branch.

Navy

The Navy was founded on 15 January 1959, by the then President Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes, due to the need to protect the country's marine resources, which at the time were the object of illegal predation by fishing boats from neighboring countries. It is a state entity with functions as a police agency for seas and rivers.

Air Force

The Guatemalan Air Force (Template:Lang-es) constitutes the aviation portion of the Guatemalan Army. Founded in 1921, it is organized, equipped and trained to plan, conduct and execute the actions imposed by the State Military Defense in relation to the use of air power.

Honor Guard

The Presidential Honor Guard of Guatemala is a branch of the Guatemalan Land Forces, responsible for the care and protection of the President of the Republic, as well as the Vice President.

Equipment

Personal equipment^{[citation needed]}

Firearm	Country of origin	Type	Variant	Number in service
.38 Special	United States			644
AR-10	United States	Battle rifle		350
AKM	Soviet Union	Assault rifle
AK-74	Soviet Union	Assault rifle	AKS-74U
Beretta 92	Italy	Semi-automatic pistol
Beretta M12	Italy	Submachine gun
Browning Hi-Power	Belgium/United States	Semi-automatic pistol	Mk III
CAR-15	United States	Assault rifle	CAR-15 Colt Commando Colt Model M733 Colt Model 723 Colt Model 727
CETME Model C	Spain	Battle rifle
FMK-3 submachine gun	Argentina	Submachine gun
FN F2000	Belgium	Bullpup assault rifle
FN Five-seven	Belgium	Semi-automatic pistol
FN MAG	Belgium	General-purpose machine gun	Model 60-20
FN P90	Belgium	Personal defense weapon	FN P90 TR	20
IMI Galil	Israel	Assault rifle	AR\SAR\SAR339\MAR\Kjell	50,000
IWI Jericho 941	Israel	Semi-automatic pistol
IWI X95	Israel	Bullpup assault rifle
Glock 19	Austria	Semi-automatic pistol
M1 Garand	United States	Semi-automatic rifle
M2 Browning	United States	Heavy machine gun
M3	United States	Submachine gun
M4 carbine	United States	Carbine	M4/M4A1/Colt Model 933	200
M16 rifle	United States	Assault rifle	M16A1/M16A2/M16A3	16,200
M20 Super Bazooka	United States	Antitank rocket launcher
M72 LAW	United States	Light anti-tank weapon
M79 grenade launcher	United States	Grenade launcher
M203 grenade launcher	United States	Grenade launcher module		1,000
M1911 pistol	United States	Semi-automatic pistol		709
M1919 Browning	United States	Medium machine gun
MAC-10	United States	Machine pistol
MAC-11	United States	Machine pistol
Madsen M-50	Denmark	Submachine gun
Mini Uzi	Israel	Machine pistol
SIG Sauer P226	Germany	Semi-automatic pistol
Star Model BM	Spain	Automatic pistol
Thompson submachine gun	United States	Submachine gun		233
Uzi	Israel	Submachine gun
Valtro PM-5/PM-5-350	Italy	12 gauge pump-action shotgun
Vz. 58	Czechoslovakia	Assault rifle
Walther P38	Germany	Semi-automatic pistol
GPS Systems	United States
Night Vision Goggles	United States

Vehicles

All data from World Military Intelligence^{[citation needed]}

Armoured vehicles

Name	Origin	Type	Number	Notes
M41	United States	Light tank	12^[7]^[8]
Armadillo^[9]	Guatemala	Armoured personnel carrier	70^{[citation needed]}
Cadillac Gage Commando	United States	Armoured personnel carrier	7-12	V-100^{[citation needed]}
Dando 6x6 (Tapir)^{[citation needed]}	Guatemala	Armoured personnel carrier	1
M113	United States	Armoured personnel carrier	15
M8 Greyhound	United States	Armoured car	12	Modernised
RBY MK 1	Israel	Armoured car	25
Humvee	United States	Armoured car		"On loan" from the United States^[10]

Utility vehicles

Name	Origin	Type	Number	Notes
Abir^{[citation needed]}	Israel	Transport truck
Business Class M2	United States
Freightliner Columbia	United States
Hino 500 Series	Japan		34+	Donated by United States.^{[citation needed]}
Hyundai H930C	South Korea	Backhoe loader
Hyundai Robex	South Korea	Excavator
International 7000-MV	United States	Truck
Jeep CJ-7 4x4	United States
Jeep J8 APV	United States	Patrol truck		Donated by United States^{[citation needed]}
M35 2½-ton cargo truck	United States	2+1⁄2-ton cargo truck
M37	United States	3/4 ton truck
M151 Truck, Utility, 1/4-Ton, 4×4	United States	1/4 ton vehicle
Sakai America SV520 Series	United States	Road roller	SV520DF
Toyota Hilux	Japan	Pickup	25+

Artillery

Towed artillery

12 M-101 105mm (United States)
8 M-102 105mm (United States)
56 M-56 105mm (Yugoslavia)
12 M-116 75mm (United States)

Mortars

55 M-1 81mm (United States)
12 M30 107mm (United States)
18 ECIA 120mm (Spain)

Recoilless rifles

64 M67 90mm recoilless rifles (United States)
64 M-1974 FMK-1 105mm recoilless rifles (Argentina)
56 M40A1 106mm recoilless rifles (United States)

Air defence

16 M-55 3x20mm (Yugoslavia)
16 GAI-BO1 20mm Oerlikon (Switzerland)
TCM 20 2x20mm (some reported) (Israel/Switzerland)
5 M42 Duster 2x40mm SP-AAG (United States/Sweden)

Naval boats

1 110 ft Broad class patrol boat: GC-1051
1 40 ft Dauntless class patrol boat: Iximche
2 85 ft Sewart Seacraft patrol boats: GC-851 Utatlan, GC-852 Subteniente Osoho Saravia
6 Cutlass 65 ft (Halter Marine) class patrol boats: GC 651-656
11 small patrol launches
1 ferry
2 sail training boats
2 Machete class personnel landing craft (Halter Marine)

Notable military personnel

References

^ "Alto Mando del Ejército de Guatemala" (in Spanish). Ejército de Guatemala. Archived from the original on 2013-12-31. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
^ "Agreement on the Strengthening of Civilian Power and on the Role of the Armed Forces in a Democratic Society: Guatemala: Peace Agreements: Library and Links: U.S. Institute of Peace". Archived from the original on 2008-08-13. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
^ "Cancelarán 12 mil 109 plazas en el Ejército". Prensa Libre. April 2, 2004. Archived from the original on July 10, 2007.
^ "Background Note: Guatemala". Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, US Department of State. February 2009.
^ Center for International Policy, Security Assistance Monitor
^ "Así quedarán los feriados en Guatemala para el 2020 – Prensa Libre" (in Spanish). Prensa Libre. 28 Apr 2020. Retrieved Sep 16, 2020.
^ Foss, Christopher F. (2005). Jane's Armour and Artillery 2005-2006. London: Jane's Information Group. pp. 186–194. ISBN 978-0-7106-2686-8.
^ "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
^ "HISTORY OF THE ARMADILLO". www.army-guide.com. Retrieved 2017-03-19.
^ "Combat Pickup Trucks: The Resurrection of the Technical as a Combat Mobile Platform in Irregular Warfare and Urban Combat". www.smallarmsreview.com. Retrieved 2017-03-19.

External links

Official Website of Guatemala's Military
[1]
Raul Sohr. ‘’Centroamérica en guerra.’’ Alianza Editorial. México. 1988.
Christopher F. Foss. ‘’Jane's tank and combat vehicles recognition guide. ‘’Harper Collins Publishers. UK. 2000.

[1] "Alto Mando del Ejército de Guatemala" (in Spanish). Ejército de Guatemala. Archived from the original on 2013-12-31. Retrieved 2014-01-07.

[2] "Agreement on the Strengthening of Civilian Power and on the Role of the Armed Forces in a Democratic Society: Guatemala: Peace Agreements: Library and Links: U.S. Institute of Peace". Archived from the original on 2008-08-13. Retrieved 2008-08-18.

[3] "Cancelarán 12 mil 109 plazas en el Ejército". Prensa Libre. April 2, 2004. Archived from the original on July 10, 2007.

[US_STATE-4] "Background Note: Guatemala". Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, US Department of State. February 2009.

[5] Center for International Policy, Security Assistance Monitor

[6] "Así quedarán los feriados en Guatemala para el 2020 – Prensa Libre" (in Spanish). Prensa Libre. 28 Apr 2020. Retrieved Sep 16, 2020.

[Jane3-7] Foss, Christopher F. (2005). Jane's Armour and Artillery 2005-2006. London: Jane's Information Group. pp. 186–194. ISBN 978-0-7106-2686-8.

[trade-8] "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2013-06-20.

[9] "HISTORY OF THE ARMADILLO". www.army-guide.com. Retrieved 2017-03-19.

[10] "Combat Pickup Trucks: The Resurrection of the Technical as a Combat Mobile Platform in Irregular Warfare and Urban Combat". www.smallarmsreview.com. Retrieved 2017-03-19.

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