Óscar Humberto Mejía Victores
Encyclopedia
Óscar Humberto Mejía Victores (born December 9, 1930) was the 27th President of Guatemala
from 8 August 1983 to 14 January 1986. A member of the military
, he was President of Guatemala during a time of increased repression
and death squad
activity. When he was minister of defense, he rallied a coup against José Efraín Ríos Montt, then president of Guatemala, which he justified by declaring that the government was being abused by religious fanatics. He allowed a return to democracy, with elections for a constituent assembly in 1984
followed by general elections in 1985
.
Along with former Presidents José Efraín Ríos Montt and Fernando Romeo Lucas García
(deceased), President Mejía has been charged with murder, kidnapping, and genocide
in the Spanish court system.
President of Guatemala
The title of President of Guatemala has been the usual title of the leader of Guatemala since 1839, when that title was assumed by Mariano Rivera Paz...
from 8 August 1983 to 14 January 1986. A member of the military
Military of Guatemala
The Military of Guatemala consists of National Army of Guatemala , the Guatemalan Navy and the Guatemalan Air Force ....
, he was President of Guatemala during a time of increased repression
Repression
Repression may refer to:* Memory inhibition, the ability to filter irrelevant memories from attempts to recall* Political repression, the oppression or persecution of an individual or group for political reasons* Social repression...
and death squad
Death squad
A death squad is an armed military, police, insurgent, or terrorist squad that conducts extrajudicial killings, assassinations, and forced disappearances of persons as part of a war, insurgency or terror campaign...
activity. When he was minister of defense, he rallied a coup against José Efraín Ríos Montt, then president of Guatemala, which he justified by declaring that the government was being abused by religious fanatics. He allowed a return to democracy, with elections for a constituent assembly in 1984
Guatemalan Constitutional Assembly election, 1984
Constitutional Assembly elections were held in Guatemala on 10 June 1984. Although the National Centre Union received the most votes, an alliance of the National Liberation Movement and Nationalist Authentic Centre emerged as the largest bloc with 23 of the 88 seats. Voter turnout was...
followed by general elections in 1985
Guatemalan general election, 1985
General elections were held in Guatemala on 3 November 1985, with a second round of the presidential elections taking place on 8 December. The presidential election resulted in a victory for Vinicio Cerezo, who had received $650,000 towards his campaign from media owner Remigio Ángel González...
.
Along with former Presidents José Efraín Ríos Montt and Fernando Romeo Lucas García
Fernando Romeo Lucas García
Fernando Romeo Lucas García was the 25th President of Guatemala from 1 July 1978 to 23 March 1982...
(deceased), President Mejía has been charged with murder, kidnapping, and genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
in the Spanish court system.