Marco Vinicio Cerezo Arévalo

president of Guatemala

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June 24, 2026

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Marco Vinicio Cerezo Arévalo was elected president of Guatemala in December 1985, marking the first time a civilian had held the office in 15 years. His election followed a period of military rule and intense civil war. Despite hopes that his presidency would usher in reforms and end the conflict, Cerezo struggled to control the military, and death squad activity resurged. The various Marxist guerrilla groups unified under the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG). U.S. military aid, which had been restored, was suspended again in December 1990 due to the deteriorating human rights situation.12

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Guatemala
Civil war years
…Guatemalan Christian Democratic Party leader, Marco Vinicio Cerezo Arévalo, who received some 68 percent of the vote. It was the first election of a civilian president in Guatemala in 15 years.
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…Guatemalan Christian Democratic Party leader, Marco Vinicio Cerezo Arévalo, who received some 68 percent of the vote. It was the first election of a civilian president in Guatemala in 15 years.
Read More