Jorge Ubico

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Jorge Ubico y Castañeda (November 10, 1878; † 14 June, 1946) was President of Guatemala from 14 February, 1931 to 4 July, 1944. Ubico is widely considered the last of the Liberal authoritarian rulers in Latin America.

Born to Arturo Ubico, a lawyer and politician of the Guatemalan liberal party, Jorge Ubico was sheltered for most of his childhood. He was privately tutored and attended school inGuatemala's most prestigious institutions as well as receiving further education abroad in the United States and Europe.

By 1897 Ubico received his commission into the Guatemalan army as second lieutenant, which was largely a reflection of his political ties. Here he established himself by rapidly rising through the ranks becoming a lieutenant colonel nine years later and the rank of colonel at the age of 28. During his tenure in Alta Verapaz, his career accomplishments included public works, the expansion of the school system, health campaigns, and youth organizations. However, most of his reputation came from his harsh but effective punishment of banditry and smuggling across the Mexican border. He returned to Guatemala in 1920 to participate in a coup that installed General Jose Orellana into presidency. Under Orellana he reached the rank of General of Division in the Guatemalan army in 1922 only to resign a year later and disassociate himself with the president in favor of a private life.

This would not last as he would re-enter the political sphere in 1926 when he formed the Political Progressive Party. He believed that it was his own mission to improve the nation as well as the status of its inhabitants. While the United States was impressed by Ubico's accomplishments, they had opposed the Orellana administration from the beginning and forced him to resign while Ubico watched from the sidelines.

President Jorge Ubico was unanimously elected democratically on February 14, 1931, but once in office he assumed dictatorial powers. His main objectives were development and government reorganization which started with the installation of "Ubiquiatas" into key governmental positions. During his presidency Guatemala went through the Great Depression. Being an agricultural nation, he focused on stimulating coffee exports and improved prices. While his efforts enabled the nation to pass the crisis with minimal damage, it provided little relief. He built an extensive network of roads and modernized local administrations, including health and school facilities. Ubico also abolished debt slavery and peonage, and oversaw the Vagrancy law which issued identification cards to all Guatemalans for the purpose of enforcing employment.

His methods, however, were authoritarian. Ubico harshly suppressed opposition through press censorship and police control. He also engineered constitutional changes twice to extend his term as president. While his main focus was economic development, it only benefited the upper and land owning classes creating criticism from the middle class. He also stressed the importance of the military through the "educative mission of the barracks."

Ubico was a cold individual who preferred to be isolated with only a small circle of companions. His legendary temper created fear as he dealt with others in a sort of verbal fencing match rather than conversations. His suspicious nature made him addicted to work as he always had to be doing something. He was also a notorious penny-pincher seeking the least expensive means to complete tasks. Ubico was also an opponent of communism equating it with criminality and political opposition.

He also professed a concern for the Indian populace in Guatemala extending facilities to improve their lifestyle. Under his regime the Guatemalan Indian underwent a legal revolution as they were free to move and seek employment. However, this freedom was an illusion as the improvements involved Paternalism and extension of government control. In a sense he merely transferred their dependency from landowners to the national government.

Adopting a pro-American stance to promote economic development and recovery from depression, under Ubico the United Fruit Company became the most important company in Guatemala. He considered Guatemala to be the United States closest ally in the Caribbean. The company received import duty and real estate tax exemptions from the government, and controlled more land than any other individual or group, along with the sole rail road, the electricity producing capabilities, and the port facilities at Puerto Barrios on the Atlantic coast.

While the regime passed through stages by 1939, it had outlived its time and from 1939-1944 was clearly in decline. The administration hung on to the early accomplishments for too long and failed to create new policies effectively loosing momentum. The main reason for its downfall was continuismo as the population realized he would never voluntarily leave power. In its later years paranoia hit the president hard creating fear for his security. Ubico was forced to resign by a general strike against him that started in June of 1944. However in his place he put General Jorge Ponce Vaides as president. This did not last long as the revolt on October 20, 1944 with military support overthrew the regime.

Jorge Ubico died in exile in New Orleans, Louisiana on June 14, 1946.

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