Francisco Javier Arana

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Francisco Javier Arana (1905 – 1949) was one of the three leaders of the military junta that ruled Guatemala from 20 October 1944 to 15 March 1945. In 1949, Arana was influenced by the American government and an American owned corporation in Guatemala called United Fruit (UFCO) to present the present and democratically elected president Juan José Arévalo an ultimatum to allow himself to be seen only as a figurehead ruler in a military run country. Arévalo then appealed to his friend and third member of the junta Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán to help him protect their fragile and newborn democracy. Arbenz gave him the names of loyal democratic officers. These officers were then instructed to arrest Arana, but trouble mounted when he resisted arrest and he died as a result.

v • d • e Heads of state of Guatemala

Federal Republic of Central America (1823-1839); Supreme Chiefs of State	direct central rule, 1823-24 • Díaz* • Barrundia • direct central rule, 1826-27 • J. Estrada* • de Aycinena • Zenteno* • Barrundia • Molina • Márquez* • Gálvez • Valenzuela* • Rivera* • Salazar* • Rivera*

Republic of Guatemala (since 1839); Presidents	Rivera • López Requena* • Rivera • Carrera • Martínez* • Escobar* • Paredes* • Carrera • Aycinena* • Cerna • García Granados • Barrios • Sinibaldi* • Barillas • Reina • M. Estrada • Herrera • Orellana • Chacón • Reina* • Ubico • Ponce Vaides* • Junta† (Arana, Árbenz, Toriello) • Arévalo • Árbenz • Díaz* • Monzón† • Castillo† • González López* • Mendoza† • Flores* • Ydígoras • Peralta • Méndez • Arana† • Laugerud† • Lucas† • Ríos Montt† • Mejía Victores† • Cerezo • Serrano Elías • Espina* • Carpio • Arzú • Portillo • Berger • Colom *interim †military