Constitution of Guatemala

Guatemala's constitution was adopted by the National Constituent Assembly on 31 May 1985 and took effect on 14 January 1986, replacing the 1965 constitution as part of the country's transition from military rule to democratic governance. It is organized into a dogmatic part enumerating fundamental rights across articles 1 to 139, an organic part establishing the legislative, executive and judicial branches across articles 140 to 262, and a procedural part providing enforcement mechanisms for constitutional protections. Its preamble invokes the primacy of the human person and recognizes the family as the basis of society.