How did Manuel Estrada Cabrera stay in power from 1898 to 1920?

Manuel Estrada Cabrera maintained his grip on power in Guatemala from 1898 to 1920 by establishing a dictatorship characterized by systematic oppression and the erosion of democratic institutions.1

To secure his long tenure, Estrada Cabrera utilized several key methods:

• Military and Police Control: He relied on a standing army and a secret police force to enforce his rule and suppress dissent.1
• Manipulation of Law: Although he initially respected the constitution, he eventually had it amended to facilitate his repeated "reelections," effectively eliminating political competition.12
• Suppression of Liberties: Throughout his administration, he muzzled the press, disregarded individual rights, and summarily disposed of his political enemies.2
• Economic Consolidation: He built an oligarchical system centered on coffee exports and granted significant concessions to the United Fruit Company, which helped him maintain control over the nation's infrastructure and economy while keeping the Indigenous population in a state of peonage.12

His rule ultimately ended in 1920 when an armed revolt led by the opposition Unionist Party forced the assembly to declare him insane, removing him from office.12