With respect to the lyrics, the qualifying jury determined the following: Reina Barrios, in the presence of the members of his cabinet, other figures and teachers of musical art, listened again to all the compositions that competed in the competition, and Álvarez Ovalle's was unanimously selected again. The victory granted again to the teacher Álvarez Ovalle cost him the most bitter moments of his existence, as there was discontent among those who did not win, who even sent their complaint to the president. In 1896, the government of General José María Reina Barrios called for a new competition, 'considering that Guatemala lacks a National Anthem, since the one known to this day by that name not only suffers from notable defects, but also has not been officially declared as such and that it is convenient to provide the country with an anthem that, through its lyrics and music, responds to the lofty purposes for which all educated people lend this kind of composition.' In this new competition, Rafael Álvarez Ovalle's work was chosen again, this time musicalising a poem written under the pseudonym 'Anonymous'.

The National Anthem of Guatemala was premiered here on 14 March 1897. It is often erroneously titled 'Guatemala Feliz!' from its opening lyrics, but it has no official name and is only referred to in the country as 'Himno Nacional'.Ĭolón Theatre after its remodelling in 1892. It was not until 1910, shortly before his death, that Cuban poet and diplomat José Joaquín Palma confessed that he was the author.īy order of President General Jorge Ubico, in 1934, some changes were made by pedagogue José María Bonilla Ruano to the lyrics of the anthem, since it was particularly warmongering and reflected the Cuban War of Independence, in which Palma had actively participated in, more than the independence of Central America. The lyrics and score were printed for the first time in La Ilustración Guatemalteca, a culture magazine, where the author of the lyrics appeared as 'Anonymous'. The national anthem of Guatemala ( Spanish: Himno Nacional de Guatemala) was written by Cuban poet José Joaquín Palma and composed by Rafael Álvarez Ovalle in 1897, on the occasion of the Exposición Centroamericana by the government of General José María Reina Barrios.

Guatemala national anthem