In the 1958 general elections it was part of a multi-party coalition that nominated José Luis Cruz Salazar for the presidency;[4] he finished second, losing the deciding vote in Congress.

As a result of its growing radicalism, it became a target for right-wing terrorism and a scapegoat for the government during periods of urban violence.

[citation needed] The 1978 general elections saw the DCG nominate Ricardo Peralta Méndez as its presidential candidate alongside the Authentic Revolutionary Party.

[5] In the general elections the following year it was reduced to only three seats, although presidential candidate Fernando Andrade Díaz-Duran finished third with 13% of the vote.

The 2003 elections saw the party lose Congressional representation, whilst its presidential candidate Jacobo Arbenz Villanova received only 1.6% of the vote.

The DCG also failed to win a seat in the 2007 elections, with presidential candidate Vinicio Cerezo Blandón receiving only 0.5% of the vote.