| Coat of arms of Guatemala Escudo de Guatemala | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Versions | |
 Version without the shield | |
| Armiger | Republic of Guatemala |
| Adopted | 18 November 1871 |
| Shield | "A shield with two rifles and two swords crossed with a wreath of laurel on a field of light blue. The middle will harbor a scroll of parchment with the words "Liberty 15 of September of 1821" in gold and in the upper part aResplendent quetzal as the symbol of national independence and autonomy." |
| Motto | Libertad 15 de septiembre de 1821 "Freedom September 15, 1821" |
The currentcoat of arms ofGuatemala was adopted after the1871 Liberal Revolution [es] by a decree of presidentMiguel García Granados. It consists of multiple symbols representing liberty and sovereignty on ableu celeste shield.[1] According to government specifications, the coat of arms should be depicted without theshield only when on theflag,[2] but the version lacking the shield is often used counter to these regulations.[3][4]
In 1871, for the 50th anniversary ofGuatemala gaining independence, president Miguel García Granados asked the mint to produce a design to commemorate the event. TheSwiss engraverJohann-Baptist Frener possibly[5] designed the shield, and Granados decided to adopt it as thenational coat of arms, abandoning the previous coat of arms which hadconservative symbolism.[1][4] In Executive Decree No. 33 of 18 November, the coat of arms was described:
The arms of the republic will be: a shield with two rifles and two swords crossed with a wreath of laurel on a field of light blue. The middle will harbor a scroll of parchment with the words "Liberty 15 of September of 1821" in gold and in the upper part a Quetzal as the symbol of national independence and autonomy.[6]
The flag and coat of arms were further regulated in detail in a 12 September 1968 decree by the government of presidentJulio César Méndez Montenegro, specifying the elements, colors, and the specific shade of blue on the shield.[2]
In 1997, new legislation corrected the spelling on the scroll from SETIEMBRE (as is mentioned in the 1968 legislation) to SEPTIEMBRE.
The elements of the coat of arms has the following symbolism:[4][1]
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
