Jorge Serrano Elías facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jorge Serrano Elías
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Official portrait, 1991
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| 41st President of Guatemala | |
| In office January 14, 1991 – June 1, 1993 |
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| Vice President | Gustavo Adolfo Espina Salguero |
| Preceded by | Vinicio Cerezo |
| Succeeded by | Gustavo Adolfo Espina Salguero |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 April 1945 Guatemala City |
| Political party | Solidarity Action Movement |
| Spouse | Magda Bianchi de Serrano |
| Children | 5 |
Jorge Antonio Serrano Elías (born April 26, 1945) is a Guatemalan engineer and politician. He served as the 41st president of Guatemala from January 14, 1991, to June 1, 1993.
Contents
About Jorge Serrano Elías
Early Life and Education
Jorge Serrano Elías was born in Guatemala City on April 26, 1945. His mother, Rosa Elías, had Lebanese family roots. He went to Liceo Guatemala for school.
He later studied at the University of San Carlos. There, he earned a degree in industrial engineering. He then went to Stanford University in California, U.S.. At Stanford, he studied how economies grow. He also earned a special degree in education and science.
Early Career and Public Service
After his studies, Jorge Serrano Elías returned to Guatemala. He began working as a civil servant, which means he worked for the government. In 1976, a big earthquake hit Guatemala. He worked with American Protestant churches to help people recover.
He also wrote about the difficult lives of indigenous people in Guatemala. Because of this, he received threats and had to leave the country for a while. He returned in 1982. He then worked as an advisor in the government of General Efraín Ríos Montt.
In 1985, Serrano Elías ran for president. He represented two political parties. He finished third in that election. Later, in 1987, he became a member of the National Reconciliation Commission. This group worked to bring peace to the country.
Becoming President
The 1990 Election
In 1990, Jorge Serrano Elías ran for president again. This time, he was the candidate for the Solidarity Action Movement (MAS) party. He did not win the first round of voting. However, he won the second round on January 6, 1991. He defeated Jorge Carpio with a large number of votes.
On January 14, 1991, Serrano Elías became the new President of Guatemala. He took over from Vinicio Cerezo. He was the second president in Guatemala who was not Catholic. This change of power was important. It was the first time in many years that a president peacefully gave up power to someone from a different party who had won an election.
Challenges and Achievements
President Serrano Elías faced challenges because his party had only a few seats in Congress. So, he worked with other political parties to form a working group.
His time as president had both successes and difficulties. He helped the civilian government gain more control over the army. He also encouraged the military to talk about peace with rebel groups. He made a brave decision to officially recognize Belize as an independent country. This was not a popular decision for some people in Guatemala.
His government also worked to improve the economy. They managed to lower inflation, which means prices stopped rising so quickly. They also helped the economy grow.
End of Presidency
On May 25, 1993, President Serrano Elías made a controversial decision. He tried to suspend the country's constitution. He also dissolved the Congress and the Supreme Court. He tried to limit people's freedoms, saying it was to fight corruption.
However, many groups in Guatemala strongly protested his actions. Newspapers, citizens, and international groups spoke out against him. The army also supported the decisions of the Constitutional Court, which ruled against his actions. Because of this strong pressure, Serrano Elías resigned as president on June 1 and left the country. His vice president, Gustavo Adolfo Espina Salguero, briefly took his place. But Congress soon replaced Espina Salguero with Ramiro de León Carpio.
Life After Presidency
Jorge Serrano Elías now lives in Panama with his wife, Magda Bianchi de Serrano. He has five children, including twin sons. He also has three sisters.
The Guatemalan government has tried many times to bring him back to Guatemala. However, these attempts have not been successful. Jorge Serrano Elías now works in real estate. He develops and invests in properties in Panama and the U.S. state of Florida.
