Fernando Romeo Lucas García
Fernando Romeo Lucas García | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 1978 | |
| 37th President of Guatemala | |
| In office July 1, 1978 – March 23, 1982 | |
| Vice President |
|
| Preceded by | Kjell Laugerud Garcia |
| Succeeded by | Efraín Ríos Montt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 July 1924 San Juan Chamelco, Guatemala |
| Died | 27 May 2006 (aged 81) Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela |
| Spouse | |
| Occupation | General |
| Personal fortune | His family possessed large extension of land in Alta Verapaz. After the government created the Franja Transversal del Norte -Northern Cross Strip- in 1970, he came to own almost 30% of Alta Verapaz, aside from investment in oil and wood mills in the area. |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Guatemala |
| Branch/service | Guatemalan Army |
| Years of service | 1949–1977 |
| Rank | General |
Fernando Romeo Lucas García (4 July 1924 – 27 May 2006) was a military officer and politician who served as the 37th president of Guatemala from July 1, 1978, to March 23, 1982. He was elected as the nominee for the Institutional Democratic Party (with the support of the Revolutionary Party). During Lucas García's regime, tensions between the radical left and the government increased. The military started to murder political opponents while counterinsurgency measures further terrorized populations of poor civilians.