Premium Episode 137 - United Fruit Company, Blood Bananas and the Guatemalan Genocide pt. 4: A Brief History of Guatemala and the 1944 Revolution

Programmed to Chill

[originally published on Patreon February 27, 2024]

I begin discussing Guatemala as early as possible - the Olmec and Mayan civilizations, and the 200 year bloody pacification war against them by the Spanish conquistadores and the Captaincy General of Guatemala.

From there, I jump to Manuel Estrada Cabrera, the president from 1898 to 1920. Cabrera was the president who began signing vast concessions over to Minor Keith, IRCA, and therefore UFC. Cabrera was unseated by Guatemala's National Assembly.

Next, I discuss Jorge Ubico, president from 1931 to 1944. Ubico oversaw the forced transfer of Mayans into the wage labor economy via taxation and anti-vagrancy laws, which was fitting because he was basically a fascist.

This led to the Guatemalan Revolution of 1944 - the other October Revolution. The revolution of 1944 led to the 10 Years of Spring from 1945 to 1955. I go through Juan Jose Arévalo, president from 1945 - 1951, and his apparently genuine if misguided attempts at Arevalismo, or spiritual socialism.

I briefly cover Jacobo Arbenz's election as president, knowing full well that we will have to take our time with Arbenz and the events surrounding his presidency.

Guatemala by Swae Lee, Jxmmi, Rae Sremmurd