Fernando Romeo Lucas GarcÃa
Fernando Romeo Lucas García ( born July 4, 1924 in San Juan Chamelco, Alta Verapaz, † 27 May, 2006 Puerto La Cruz, Anzoategui, Venezuela ) was a Guatemalan general and politician and from 1978 to 1982 President of Guatemala.
In 1947, he joined as a cadet in the military service and rose to 1973 to brigadier general. Between 1958 and 1963 Lucas García Alta Verapaz represented in Congress. Eventually, he became Chief of Army Staff and Minister of Defense.
In the presidential election of March 5, 1978 Lucas García reached more votes than the two rival candidates General Ricardo Peralta Méndez and Colonel Enrique Peralta Azurdia. However, a low turnout and intimidation of the followers of Peralta Azur Dias extreme right-wing National Liberation Movement led to Lucas García is the clear electoral victory was denied. In fact, nearly 60 percent of registered voters voting stayed away and another 20 percent said their vote as a sign of protest. After a delayed announcement of the final election result eventually accused all three candidates election fraud. Peralta Azurdia then studded with 250 armed supporters of the offices of the Electoral Council, but left that after the arrival of army and police units. Three days after the election, the Electoral Council finally declared that none of the three candidates pass the required by the Constitution of 50 percent majority and the Congress would have to decide on the presidency. Despite further electoral fraud allegations by Peralta Méndez and Peralta Azurdia and threats against the Electoral Council by the followers Peralta Azur slides, Congress decided that Lucas García was the candidate with the most votes votes. As a candidate of a broad front, he also received the support of the army command and the outgoing government of General Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García, whom he succeeded in office on 1 July 1978.
A small, broken after the election of 1982 disagreement led to Lucas García few months before the end of his term ( 30 June 1982 ) was overthrown by a coup d'état by General Efrain Rios Montt on March 23, 1982.
The suffering from Alzheimer 's Disease Lucas García died in 2006 in the Venezuelan exile.