Jorge Ubico

He was born on November 10, 1878. Years later in 1920, would participate in the military junta to appoint the General José María Orellana for president of Guatemala (you can see in Q1 tickets, a Quetzal). Jorge Ubico later away from the military-political scene before returning and founding the Progressive Liberation Party.

Although the party has drawn up efforts to prohibit the reelection of presidents, then worked to achieve the opposite: it re-election.

He claimed that his intention was to improve the quality of life in Guatemala and the nation itself. Several of his proposals were approved in Congress. Was later elected president of Guatemala in 1931 and began what many describe as an authoritarian and dictatorial mandate to exercise its will everywhere.

Discussion, conflict and opinions on Jorge Ubico

Jorge Ubico and mandate marks a point of discussion among Guatemalans who lived in his time. Some are calling it the best president who end up with debt, to build public service buildings and keep the streets clean and safe for peace in Guatemala.

On the other hand many would qualify as an authoritarian figure who abused the power violating the freedom of many Guatemalans who were persecuted, imprisoned and executed during his term in office.

Rather than discuss on the basis of history, today, modern and recent generations, it's funny how the same people contemporary locations have opinions. Ubico then became a legend to whom are attributed facts and achievements both surprising and some dubious and lacking confirmation. In its austerity measures to rescue some attribute to Guatemala in the global economic crisis starting in 1929.

Enacted the "vagrancy", requiring all to carry a legal and official identification authorized by your employer stating your position as a worker, productive to the country. Otherwise the authorities had the power to compel him to perform forced labor.

Decay of their government

Between admiration and rejection, rejection itself was growing and after years of being in power his government was showing signs of weakness and the demonstrations against him became more frequent. Ubico ordered break up demonstrations and led to the "go-slow" resistance is peaceful, not making ...

Amid these events, the June 25 murder case of Professor Maria Chinchilla martyr who was called the "tyranny ubiquitous" and since then held the "Teacher's Day", all accelerating the process that was imminent. It's July 1, 1944 to agree to waive Ubico.

He continued in power, General Federico Ponce Vaides, member of the military triumvirate (Buenaventura Pineda, Eduardo Villagrán and Federico Ponce). This board was disbanded on July 3 that year.

Ponce's government lasted a blink of an eye and called presidential elections, they are not carried out due to the revolutionary movement formed by Captain Jacobo Arbenz, Major Francisco Arana and Jorge Toriello civil on October 20, 1944 .

Ubico died in exile and his remains were repatriated on August 14, 1963.

Photo: Collection Brettman, Corbis.