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 was born on December 1, 1950. He is a Guatemalan politician and a retired general. He served as the 48th president of Guatemala from 2012 to 2015.
He ran for president with the Patriotic Party (Partido Patriota). He did not win the 2007 presidential election, but he won the 2011 presidential election. Before becoming president, he had an important career in the military during the 1990s. He helped with the Guatemalan Peace Accords.
On September 2, 2015, Mr. Pérez resigned from his position as president. This happened after the Congress removed his special protection from legal action. He was arrested the next day, on September 3, 2015. He remained in prison until January 2024, when he was released on bond.
Contents
Military Career and Service
Otto Pérez Molina studied at important military schools. These include Guatemala's National Military Academy (Escuela Politécnica), the School of the Americas, and the Inter-American Defense College.
He held several 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 supported a change in government led by Defence Minister Óscar Mejía. This change was against the leader at the time, Efraín Ríos Montt.
Key Military Roles
In 1993, while he was chief of military intelligence, he played a role in the departure of President Jorge Serrano. President Serrano had tried to make big changes by dissolving the Congress. After this event, Ramiro de León Carpio, who worked for human rights, became president. He chose Pérez Molina to be his chief of staff until 1995.
Mr. Pérez was seen as a leader in the Guatemalan Army who wanted to find a peaceful solution to the 30-year-long Guatemalan Civil War. He represented the military in talks with rebel groups. These talks led to the 1996 Peace Accords, which helped end the conflict. From 1998 to 2000, he represented Guatemala on the Inter-American Defense Board.
Political Journey
In February 2001, Otto Pérez Molina started the Patriotic Party. He was elected to Congress in the 2003 general election.
Presidential Campaigns
He was the Patriotic Party's candidate in the 2007 presidential election. His campaign slogan was "Mano dura, cabeza y corazón" ("Firm hand, head and heart"). He promised to take a strong approach to reduce crime in the country. He received the second-highest number of votes in the first round. However, he lost the election to Álvaro Colom in the second round on November 4, 2007.
During the 2007 campaign, some members of the Patriotic Party were attacked and killed. One victim was Aura Marina Salazar Cutzal, who worked for the party and helped Mr. Pérez.
Becoming President
Mr. Pérez was elected president in the November 2011 presidential election. He won with 54% of the votes. He officially became president on January 14, 2012. He was the first former military official to be elected president since Guatemala returned to democratic elections in 1986.
End of Presidency
In April 2015, investigators found evidence of a corruption group. This group was involved in a scheme where people paid bribes to get lower taxes on imported goods. The Vice President, Roxana Baldetti, resigned in May and was arrested in August. On August 21, prosecutors showed evidence that Mr. Pérez was also involved.
On September 1, 2015, the Congress voted to remove Mr. Pérez Molina's special protection from legal action. He then resigned from the presidency on September 2. The next day, September 3, he was arrested after a court hearing. He was sent to Matamoros prison in Guatemala City. Alejandro Maldonado Aguirre, who was the Vice President, took over as acting president.
In October 2017, a judge ordered Mr. Pérez, Ms. Baldetti, and 26 other people to stand trial. They faced charges related to the bribery scheme. Mr. Pérez remained in custody since his arrest in 2015. In May 2021, one of the charges against him was dropped, but he remained in a military prison.
His trial officially began on January 18, 2022. Ms. Baldetti was also a co-defendant. On December 7, 2022, Mr. Pérez and Ms. Baldetti were sentenced to 16 years in prison. On September 7, 2023, Mr. Pérez received an additional eight-year sentence in a separate case after admitting guilt. However, the judge allowed him to pay a fee to reduce this sentence, which he did in November 2023.
On January 4, 2024, Mr. Pérez was released from prison after paying a bond of more than 10.3 million quetzales. As part of his release, he agreed not to leave Guatemala and to check in with prosecutors every 30 days. His son, Otto Pérez Lea, shared a video of his father on January 7, 2024. In the video, Mr. Pérez thanked people for their support and said he never intended to "run away" from the country after resigning.
Personal Life
Otto Pérez Molina is married to Rosa María Leal. They have two children.
In 2000, his family experienced some difficult events. His daughter Lissette was attacked by a gunman. On the same day, a woman who had met with his wife was killed. Later that year, his son, Otto Pérez Leal, was attacked while driving with his wife and infant daughter. Human rights groups suggested these attacks might have been politically motivated.
See also
In Spanish: Otto Pérez Molina para niños
