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 was born on April 26, 1945. He is an engineer and politician from Guatemala. He was the 41st president of Guatemala from January 14, 1991, to June 1, 1993. During his time as president, he tried to change the government in a way that was not allowed by the country's rules.
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Early Life and Public Service
Jorge Serrano Elías was born in Guatemala City. His mother, Rosa Elías, had family from Lebanon. After finishing high school, he studied at the University of San Carlos. He earned a degree in industrial engineering, which is about designing and improving systems.
He then went to Stanford University in California, U.S.. There, he studied how economies grow and earned a special degree in education and science. After his studies, he returned to Guatemala to work for the government.
In 1976, a big earthquake hit Guatemala. Jorge Serrano worked with American Protestant churches to help people recover. He also wrote about the difficult lives of indigenous people. This caused some problems for him, and he had to leave the country for a while. He returned in 1982 to work in the government of General Efraín Ríos Montt.
In 1985, Serrano ran for president with two political parties. He came in third place in that election. Later, in 1987, he became one of four members of the National Reconciliation Commission. This group worked to bring peace to the country.
Becoming President (1991)
In 1990, Jorge Serrano became the presidential candidate for the Solidarity Action Movement (MAS) party. In the first round of elections, he did not win the most votes. However, in the second round on January 6, 1991, he won against Jorge Carpio. He received a large number of votes.
On January 14, 1991, Jorge Serrano became the new President of Guatemala. He took over from Vinicio Cerezo. This was an important moment because it was the first time in many years that a president peacefully gave up power to someone from a different political party who had won an election. His party did not have many seats in Congress, so he worked with other parties to form a government.
Time as President (1991–1993)
During his time as president, Jorge Serrano's government had some successes and some challenges. He helped the civilian government gain more control over the army. He also encouraged the military to talk about peace with a group called the URNG.
He made a big decision to officially recognize Belize as an independent country. This was a step that many people in Guatemala did not agree with at the time. His government also helped improve the country's economy. They reduced how fast prices were rising and helped the economy grow.
On May 25, 1993, President Serrano tried to change the government in a way that was not allowed by the country's rules. He stopped the constitution, closed Congress, and tried to limit people's freedoms. He said he was doing this to fight corruption.
However, many people in Guatemala protested against his actions. Newspapers, citizens, and international groups spoke out. The army also followed the decisions of the Constitutional Court, which said his actions were illegal. Because of all this pressure, Jorge Serrano resigned as president on June 1 and left the country. His vice president, Gustavo Adolfo Espina Salguero, took over for a short time. But because Espina was also involved in the attempted changes, Congress chose a new president, Ramiro de León Carpio.
After the Presidency
Jorge Serrano now lives in Panama with his wife, Magda Bianchi de Serrano. He has five children. The Guatemalan government has tried many times to bring him back to Guatemala to face charges, but they have not been successful. Jorge Serrano works in real estate, buying and developing properties in Panama and the U.S. state of Florida.
See also
In Spanish: Jorge Serrano Elías para niños
