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CHAPTER I
POLITICAL SITUATION
1. Genesis of the Present Political Situation.
and Conservative political factions. The Con-
Spanish conquistadores first invaded and
servatives, including the large landowners,
conquered the territory that now comprises
wealthy merchants, and the clergy, at first
Guatemala in the year 1524. Ever since that
favored union with Mexico and later, after the
time, the political life of the country has been
establishment of the Federation, favored a
dominated by those of Spanish descent (under
strong central government under their con-
1 percent) or mixed Spanish-Indian descent
trol, rather than a loose federation of semi-
(34-44 percent). The majority of inhabitants,
autonomous states such as favored by the
of unmixed Indian ancestry (55-65 percent)
Liberals. The Liberals, including the middle-
has had little voice in political affairs.
class merchants, artisans, and salaried em-
ployees, generally held the upper hand during
In 1544, Guatemala became part of the
the early struggle for power and, in conse-
Captaincy-General of Guatemala, a political
quence, Guatemala remained a member of the
entity that extended from Chiapas in Mexico
federation. The federal capital, however, had
to Costa Rica, and at first also included Yuca-
been moved from Guatemala City to San Sal-
tan and Tabasco. With few changes, the Cap-
vador in 1831.
taincy-General existed (with the exception
With the decisive victory of the Conserva-
of one brief period) until the end of the Span-
tives under José Rafael Carrera in 1838,
ish colonial regime. It included five prov-
Guatemala officially withdrew from the Fed-
inces, corresponding to the modern republics
eration. Carrera, a mestizo who had seized
of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicara-
control with the aid of an Indian army, be-
gua, and Costa Rica.
came the first Guatemalan Dictator-President
Following the lead of Mexico, representa-
to hold power for an extended period, con-
tives of the five provinces declared their in-
tinuing to rule until his death in 1865. Dur-
dependence of Spain on 15 September 1821,
ing his regime, the dominance of the landed
retaining, for the moment, a centralized ad-
aristocracy and the clergy was firmly estab-
ministration in Guatemala City. The follow-
lished.
ing year, the ruling junta, backed by the
A few years after Carrera's death, a Liberal
wealthy class, voted to join the new Mexican
leader, Justo Rufino Barrios, gained domi-
Empire under Iturbide, and a Mexican army
nance and later became officially President
was sent to quiet dissident elements. How-
from 1873 to 1885. He re-enacted some of the
ever, with the fall of Iturbide and the army's
liberal laws which had been repealed by Car-
withdrawal, the five provinces reasserted their
rera. Church properties were expropriated,
independence as a single federal republic. At
and the influence of the church in public af-
this time Guatemala lost the territory com-
fairs was brought to an end.
prising Chiapas, which was still occupied by
At the same time, Barrios increased the
the Mexican army, and (perhaps in conse-
power and authority of the provincial gover-
quence) voted to join Mexico.
nors, advocated the improvement and expan-
From the time of its inception, the Central
sion of agriculture and industry, and built
American Federation was weakened by sec-
roads which connected the capital with all the
tional jealousies and conflict between Liberal
provinces. He sought to set up free public
ET
3
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