Miguel García Granados

Miguel García Granados

Miguel García Granados y Zavala (September 29, 1809 – September 8, 1878) was President of Guatemala from 29 June 1871 to 4 June 1873. He was an influential figure in the broad sweep of 19th century Guatemalan history.

García Granados was born in Puerto de Santa María, Spain, and, as a young adolescent, was brought to Central America. He was a member of a very wealthy family who had a profession of weapons. He visited several places at the age of twenty-three. The places included South America, the European continent, and the cities of New York and Philadelphia in the USA. García Granados completed his schooling in London.

To Guatemalans, García Granados was known as a moderate liberal. He had compromised with Rafael Carrera, and always wanted to get along with Vicente Cerna Sandoval, his successor. Failing to get along and known to be sympathetic with the revolt against the government, García Granados fled to exile and was supported by Guatemalan liberals. After going back to Guatemala, García Granados became the leader of the revolution against General Vicente Cerna, eventually becoming known as its philosopher. García Granados played a key part in the regime of Justo Rufino Barrios, the founder of "the army of 45 men". He served as a provisional president from 1871 to 1873 after the liberal victory of Guatemala City. Despite many difficulties, García Granados wanted to regularize the government by constructing a lawful regime. Following in 1872, the president invaded Honduras, where he decreed freedom of the press and expelled the Jesuits.

It seemed the complete aim of García Granados and his successor, Barrios, was to have as many liberal revolts as possible. During his presidency, García Granados created, by decree, the Guatemalan flag which remains almost identical to his version, produced in 1871.^[1] After García Granados stepped down, Barrios served as president until the mid-1870s.

Sources

• Jones, Christopher L. Guatemala: Past and Present. Russell & Russell, 1966
• Rosenthal, Mario. Guatemala: The story of an emergent Latin American Democracy. Twayne, 1962

v t e Heads of state of Guatemala Federal Republic of Central America (1823–1839); Supreme Chiefs of State direct central rule, 1823–24 Díaz* Barrundia direct central rule, 1826–27 J. Estrada* de Aycinena Zenteno* Barrundia Molina Márquez* Gálvez Valenzuela* Rivera* Salazar* Rivera* Republic of Guatemala (since 1839); Presidents Rivera López Requena* Rivera Carrera Martínez* Escobar* Paredes* Carrera Aycinena* Cerna García Granados Barrios Sinibaldi* Barillas Reina M. Estrada† Herrera Orellana Chacón Reina* Ubico† Ponce Vaides* † Junta (Arana†, Árbenz†, Toriello) Arévalo Árbenz Díaz* Monzón† Castillo† González López* Mendoza† Flores* Ydígoras† Peralta† Méndez Arana† Laugerud† Lucas† Ríos Montt† Mejía Victores† Cerezo Serrano Elías Espina* de León Arzú Portillo Berger Colom Pérez Molina * interim; † military