Arbenz Guzmán, Lt. Col. Jacobo

Arbenz Guzmán, Lt. Col. Jacobo (b. Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, 1913; d. Mexico, 1970) Guatemalan; President 1951–4 Jacobo Arbenz was the organizer of the coup d'état which overthrew the short-lived successor of the dictator General Ubico, General Federico Ponce, on 20 October 1944. Minister of War in the elected government of Juan José Arévalo from December 1944, Arbenz was elected to succeed Arévalo in 1950. In 1951 he embarked on a more radical programme of nationalist reforms than those of his predecessor, including agrarian reform, which was passed by Congress in 1952. This benefited about 100,000 peasants and affected just over 1,000 plantations, including those of the US transnational United Fruit Co. Some 387,000 acres were expropriated from United Fruit and compensation of $1 million was offered, based on 1952 tax returns. The company, backed by the US State Department, rejected the government's offer.

The USA regarded Arbenz as a ‘puppet’ manipulated by the Communists. However, although a number of Communists held positions of high office in his administration, his Salvadorean wife, María Villanova, was perhaps closer to the Guatemalan Communist Party (PGT) than Arbenz himself. Trade union organization grew under Arbenz: by 1954 50 per cent of the 600,000 workers and peasants were organized. United Fruit conspired with the CIA, the US State Department, and internal opponents of Arbenz to overthrow him. In June 1954 a US-backed rebel force, led by Colonel Castillo Armas, invaded the country from neighbouring Honduras. However, the main military action was bombing raids by US planes. Arbenz capitulated when army representatives demanded his resignation. His later years were spent in Cuba and Mexico, actively seeking democratization in Guatemala. In 1995 his remains were returned to Guatemala and buried with full state honours.