Carlos Herrera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carlos Herrera y Luna
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| President of Guatemala | |
| In office 30 March 1920 – 10 December 1921 |
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| Preceded by | Manuel Estrada Cabrera |
| Succeeded by | José María Orellana |
| Guatemalan Parliament Representative | |
| In office 1899–1920 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Carlos Herrera Luna
26 October 1856 Guatemala |
| Died | 3 July 1930 (aged 73) Paris, France |
| Political party | Unionist (1920-1921) Liberal (1898–1920) |
| Profession | Businessman |
| Signature |  |
Carlos Herrera y Luna (born October 26, 1856 – died July 3, 1930) was a Guatemalan politician. He served as the acting President of Guatemala from March 30, 1920, and then as President from September 16, 1920, until December 10, 1921.
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About Carlos Herrera y Luna
A Successful Businessman
Carlos Herrera Luna was a very successful businessman. He made his money in the sugar industry. He developed large sugar mills like Pantaleón, Concepción, and El Baúl in the early 1900s. These mills were located in Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa and Escuintla. Today, Pantaleón Sugar Holdings is one of the biggest sugar companies in the Americas. It has mills in Central and South America.
Becoming President
After President Manuel Estrada Cabrera was removed from power in April 1920, new leaders needed to be chosen. The leaders of the Unionist Party, who were mostly conservatives, worked with liberal leaders. They wanted to choose a new government.
However, the liberal leaders were very clever. They chose Carlos Herrera Luna to be president. This was surprising because he had worked as a liberal representative for 22 years under the old government. Also, many important people from the old government were given jobs in the new one.
This meant that the deals made by the old president with the United Fruit Company (UFCO) would likely continue. But Carlos Herrera Luna was an experienced businessman. He saw that these deals gave too much power to UFCO. He felt they did not truly benefit Guatemala. So, he decided not to accept them.
Supporting Education
Carlos Herrera Luna gave many benefits to the National University. The university had helped a lot in the effort to remove the previous government.
He gave the university:
- The power to choose its own leaders.
- A building for students to meet and form their own student government.
The Coup d'état
Carlos Herrera was removed from power in a coup in December 1921. A coup is when a group of people, often military, illegally takes control of a government. This coup was led by José María Orellana.
The coup happened because Herrera refused to approve the special deals given to the United Fruit Company and its related businesses. These deals had been made by the previous president, Manuel Estrada Cabrera. After the coup, Carlos Herrera Luna went to live in Paris, France.
See also
In Spanish: Carlos Herrera y Luna para niños
- History of Guatemala
- Presidents of Guatemala
- Manuel Estrada Cabrera
- United Fruit Company
Images for kids
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This is an aerial view of Guatemala City during Carlos Herrera's time as president. You can see damage from the 1917-18 earthquakes. The old Cathedral no longer has its tall towers.
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"Palacio del Centenario" or "Centennial Palace." This building was made in 1921 to celebrate 100 years of Guatemala's independence. It was made of wood, so people called it the "Cardboard Palace." It was later destroyed in a fire.
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Carlos Herrera and his cabinet (group of advisors) shortly before the coup d'état in 1921.
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General José María Orellana (on the right) and General Jorge Ubico (on the left) after the coup d'état that removed President Herrera from power in 1921.
