The origins of a democratic national constitution: The 1945 Guatemalan Constitution and human rights

This study investigates and analyzes the sociopolitical origins of the 1945 Guatemalan Constitution with the purpose of confirming the document as a unique example of a modern representative democracy necessary to advance social justice and human rights. The historical events and individual figures are examined in order to determine the sociopolitical thought that established fundamental human rights with the strength of democratic constitutional protections. As a result of Guatemala's national achievements in the advancement of human rights, the study details Guatemala's contributions to the Latin American regional efforts to support human rights and the creation of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.