Otto Pérez Molina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Otto Pérez Molina
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Official portrait, 2012
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| 48th President of Guatemala | |
| In office 14 January 2012 – 3 September 2015 |
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| Vice President |
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| Preceded by | Álvaro Colom |
| Succeeded by | Alejandro Maldonado (Acting) |
| Deputy of the Congress of Guatemala | |
| In office 14 January 2004 – 14 January 2008 |
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| Constituency | National List |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Otto Fernando Pérez Molina
1 December 1950 Guatemala City, Guatemala |
| Political party | Patriot Party |
| Spouse |
Rosa Leal de Pérez
(m. 1970) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | School of the Americas Inter-American Defense College |
| Cabinet | Cabinet of Otto Pérez Molina |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Guatemala |
| Branch/service | Guatemalan Army |
| Years of service | 1966–2000 |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
Otto Fernando Pérez Molina (born December 1, 1950) is a Guatemalan politician and retired general. He served as the 48th president of Guatemala from 2012 to 2015. He was a candidate for the Patriotic Party. He won the presidential election in 2011.
Before becoming president, he worked in the military. In the 1990s, he was the Director of Military Intelligence. He also served as the Presidential Chief of Staff for President Ramiro de León Carpio. He was a key representative for the military in the Guatemalan Peace Accords. These agreements helped end a long civil war.
Contents
Otto Pérez Molina: A Leader in Guatemala
Early Military Career
Otto Pérez Molina studied at important military schools. He went to Guatemala's National Military Academy (Escuela Politécnica). He also attended the School of the Americas and the Inter-American Defense College.
He held important roles in the military. He was Guatemala's Director of Military Intelligence. He also served as the inspector-general of the army. In 1983, he was part of a group of army officers. They supported a change in government led by Defence Minister Óscar Humberto Mejía Victores.
In 1993, while leading military intelligence, he played a role in a big political event. He helped in the departure of President Jorge Serrano. The president had tried to make changes by dissolving Congress.
After this event, Ramiro de León Carpio became president. He appointed Pérez Molina as his chief of staff. Pérez Molina held this job until 1995. He was seen as a leader who wanted to find a peaceful solution to the Guatemalan Civil War. This war had lasted for 30 years. He represented the military in talks with guerrilla forces. These talks led to the 1996 Peace Accords.
From 1998 to 2000, Pérez Molina represented Guatemala. He worked on the Inter-American Defense Board.
Starting a Political Path
In February 2001, Otto Pérez Molina started a new political group. He founded the Patriotic Party. In the 2003 general election, he was elected to Congress. This happened on November 9, 2003.
He ran for president in the 2007 election. His campaign slogan was "Mano dura, cabeza y corazón". This means "Firm hand, head and heart." He wanted a strong approach to dealing with crime. He came in second place in the first round of voting. However, he lost the election to Álvaro Colom in the second round.
During the 2007 campaign, some members of his party faced attacks. Aura Marina Salazar Cutzal was one victim. She was an indigenous woman and an assistant to Pérez Molina.
Becoming President
Pérez Molina was elected president in November 2011. He won with 54% of the votes. He officially took office on January 14, 2012. He was the first former military official to become president since Guatemala returned to democratic elections in 1986.
Challenges During Presidency
In 2015, some serious issues arose during his presidency. Evidence of a customs group called "La Línea" was found. This group was involved in improper activities. The Vice President, Roxana Baldetti, resigned in May. She was later arrested in August.
On September 1, 2015, the Congress voted to remove Pérez Molina's immunity. This allowed him to be investigated. He then resigned from the presidency on September 2.
On September 3, he was arrested after a court hearing. He was sent to Matamoros prison in Guatemala City. Vice President Alejandro Maldonado Aguirre then took over as acting president. He served for the rest of Pérez Molina's term.
In 2017, a judge ordered Pérez Molina and others to stand trial. The charges were related to the customs issues. Pérez Molina remained in custody after his 2015 arrest. In May 2021, one of the charges against him was dropped. However, he stayed in a military base prison.
His trial officially began on January 18, 2022. On December 7, 2022, Pérez Molina was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
On September 7, 2023, he received another sentence of eight years. This was for a separate case. However, the judge allowed this sentence to be changed by payment. Pérez Molina made this payment in November 2023.
On January 4, 2024, Pérez Molina was released from prison. He had been there since his arrest in 2015. He posted a bond of over 10.3 million quetzales. As part of his release, he agreed not to leave Guatemala. He also agreed to check in with prosecutors every 30 days.
Family Life
Otto Pérez Molina is married to Rosa María Leal.
In 2000, his daughter Lissette was attacked. This happened shortly before he planned to start his political party. Later that year, his son, Otto Pérez Leal, was also attacked while driving. His son's wife and infant daughter were in the car too. Some groups believed these attacks were related to politics.
See also
In Spanish: Otto Pérez Molina para niños
