Army Day: June 30
Army Day is a public holiday celebrated in Guatemala.
Countries all over the world have national events that pertain to celebrating their armed forces. For example, the United States has Veterans Day on November 11, a day when people pay tribute to the soldiers who fought in Vietnam and so on. In a similar fashion there is a huge cultural and national event in Guatemala called Army Day that is held every year on June 30.
As in other cases, this day is celebrated to honor the country’s soldiers that fought to liberate the Guatemalan public. It is known locally as Día del Ejército and is celebrated with great fanfare throughout the country. However, there are many political issues that surround the celebration and its purpose.
History of Army Day in Guatemala
In the late 1830s, a new conservative movement brewed in Guatemala led by a young Rafael Carrera. Carrera became the de facto ruler of Guatemala by 1838, and soon afterwards, civil war broke out across Central America, breaking apart the Federal Republic of Central America. Backed by the church and conservative land owners, Carrera and the Conservadora administration led Guatemala ruthlessly.
In 1863, El Salvador’s President Gerardo Barrios went to war with Guatemala and Carrera, disagreeing with his rival, believing in the unity of Central America. On October 26, 1863, the city of San Salvador was taken by Carrera, ousting Gerardo Barrios. On April 14, 1865, Carrera died, but left a dominant Conservadora presence in control.
It wouldn’t be until 1871 that Justo Rufino Barrios, together with General Miguel García Granados, worked with Guatemalan rebels who wanted to see the ousting of the Conservadora administration. The duo put together a revolutionary army on March 17 and shortly after began their march into Guatemala.
Taking city after city, the march ended in Guatemala City on the morning of June 30, 1871. Days later, the group organized their campaign called the “Plan for the Fatherland”, a course of action set to overthrow the Conservadora administration of Guatemala. Soon after, the group achieved victory, installing General Granados as president.
Guatemala’s Army Day Traditions, Customs and Activities
In the past, typical celebrations included a military parade and performances that aimed at celebrating the efficiency of the Guatemalan army. However, in 2008, the government cancelled the military parade for budgetary reasons, though the more likely cause of the cancellation was in part due to efforts by the Sons and Daughters for Identity and Against Forgetting (HIJOS). The group has been campaigning for years to end the military parades, considering the parade an insult to the memories of the thousands of people dead or missing due to actions by the army.
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