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Jorge Ubico | |
---|---|
21st President of Guatemala | |
In office 14 February 1931 – 1 July 1944 | |
Preceded by | José María Reina |
Succeeded by | Federico Ponce Vaides |
Leader of the Progressive Liberal Party of Guatemala | |
In office 1926 – 1 July 1944 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Guatemala City, Guatemala | 10 November 1878
Died | 14 June 1946 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | (aged 67)
Political party | Progressive Liberal Party |
Spouse(s) | ; his death |
Profession | Soldier |
Signature | |
Nickname(s) | Number Five Central America's Napoleon |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Guatemala |
Branch/service | Armed Forces of Guatemala |
Years of service | 1896–1944 |
Rank | General |
Battles/wars | Second and Third Totoposte Wars 1921 Guatemalan coup d'état |
Jorge Ubico Castañeda (10 November 1878 – 14 June 1946), nicknamed Number Five or also Central America's Napoleon, was a Guatemalan military officer, politician, and dictator who served as the president of Guatemala from 1931 to 1944.
A general in the Guatemalan military, he was elected to the presidency in 1931, in an election where he was the only candidate. He continued his predecessors' policies of giving massive concessions to the United Fruit Company and wealthy landowners, as well as supporting their harsh labor practices.[1][2] Ubico has been described as "one of the most oppressive tyrants Guatemala has ever known" who compared himself to Adolf Hitler.[3] He was removed by a pro-democracy[4] uprising in 1944, which led to the ten-year Guatemalan Revolution.