Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García (24 January 1930
[''Heads of States and Governments Since 1945''](_blank)
Harris M. Lentz, Routledge, 4 Feb 2014, page 345 – 9 December 2009) was a Guatemalan military officer who served as the 36th
president of Guatemala
The president of Guatemala (), officially titled President of the Republic of Guatemala (), is the head of state and head of government of Guatemala, elected to a single four-year term. The position of President was created in 1839.
Selectio ...
from 1974 until 1978. A member of the
National Liberation Movement, he previously served as
General Staff of the Army from 1970 to 1972 and
Minister of national defence from 1972 to 1973 under President
Carlos Arana Osorio.
His presidency, which occurred during the
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, was characterized by being more tolerant of the opposition, by his efficient response to the
1976 earthquake and an increase in oil exploitation in the
Northern Transversal Strip.
Early life and career
Early life
Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García was born on 24 January 1930. He was the son of a
Norwegian father and a
Guatemalan mother.
Military career
During his military career, Laugerud received part of his training in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, attending classes at
Fort Benning
Fort Benning (named Fort Moore from 2023–2025) is a United States Army post in the Columbus, Georgia area. Located on Georgia's border with Alabama, Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve compone ...
,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States
Georgia may also refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, and at
Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...
,
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
,
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
. He would hold important positions such as the management of the Polytechnic School, as a delegate to the
Inter-American Defense Board between 1968 and 1970, and as the head of the Army General Staff. During the presidency of
Carlos Arana Osorio, Laugerud was promoted to general and appointed
Minister of Defense.
1974 presidential campaign
Laugerud became a candidate for the
1974 general election, running on the endorsement of the
National Liberation Movement-
Institutional Democratic Party coalition
A coalition is formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political, military, or economic spaces.
Formation
According to ''A G ...
(MLN-PID).
In the second round of elections, Laugerud defeated
Efraín Ríos Montt
José Efraín Ríos Montt (; 16 June 1926 – 1 April 2018) was a Guatemalan military officer, politician, and dictator who served as ''de facto'' President of Guatemala from 1982 to 1983. His brief tenure as chief executive was one of the blo ...
, candidate of the
Guatemalan Christian Democracy party. However, the results of the election were marred by violence and were challenged by the opposition, which questioned the legitimacy of the electoral process.
Presidency (1974–1978)
Laugerud was sworn in as the 36th president on 1 July 1974, inside the
legislative palace. In his inaugural address, he emphasized the need for national harmony and unity to promote the economic and social well-being of the country.
Earthquake of 1976
Guatemala was struck with
a 7.5-moment magnitude earthquake on 4 February 1976 which generated an unprecedented crisis in the country. Approximately 258,000 homes were destroyed as well as 40% of the national hospital infrastructure. Laugerud García established the National Reconstruction Committee and presented the reconstruction program at a press conference on 18 March 1976. Serious cases of corruption occurred during reconstruction. However, at the end of his government, the infrastructure was recovered and in ten years there were no more vestiges of destruction. In a 1990 interview, Laugerud revealed that he still had nightmares about the earthquake.
Civil War
Massacre of Panzós
Just before the end of his term, Laugerud was also faced with the consequences of a massacre of
Kekchi Mayan demonstrators by the military in
Panzós, in which the Army killed 53 unarmed civilians and another 47 were wounded.
Foreign policy
During his term, Guatemala had
continuing disputes with neighboring
Belize
Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...
. In 1977, after the
Carter administration
Jimmy Carter's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 39th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Jimmy Carter, his inauguration on January 20, 1977, and ended on January 20, 1981. Carter, a Democratic Party ...
published a report critical of the human rights situation in Guatemala, Laugerud announced that the country would no longer accept U.S. military aid. Guatemala did, receive funds that had already been appropriated for that year and later turned to other nations, such as
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
, Spain, Belgium, Sweden,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
, and
Yugoslavia
, common_name = Yugoslavia
, life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation
, p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia
, flag_p ...
, for military aid and arms supplies.
Post-presidency
In 1983, Laugerud and three other ex-presidents were forced to retire from the Army.
References
External links
Capsule biography From Rulers.org; search for "Laugerud"
Historical Clarification Commission (Guatemala's Truth Commission) on 1971–78
INAUGURATION OF NEW PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA AP Archive, 2 July 1974
20th-century presidents of Guatemala
People of the Guatemalan Civil War
Guatemalan generals
Institutional Democratic Party politicians
National Liberation Movement (Guatemala) politicians
Military personnel from Guatemala City
Guatemalan people of Norwegian descent
1930 births
2009 deaths
Guatemalan anti-communists
Defense ministers of Guatemala
Non-U.S. alumni of the Command and General Staff College
{{Guatemala-politician-stub