# Juan José Arévalo

_Guatemalan politician (1904–1990)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/juan-jose-arevalo
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> Juan José Arévalo Bermejo was a Guatemalan statesman and professor of philosophy who became Guatemala's first democratically elected president in 1945. He was elected following a popular uprising against the United States-backed dictator Jorge Ubico that began the Guatemalan Revolution. He remained in office until 1951, surviving 25 coup attempts. He did not contest the election of 1951, instead choosing to hand over power to Jacobo Árbenz. As president, he enacted several social reform policies, including an increase in the minimum wage and a series of literacy programs. He also oversaw the drafting of a new constitution in 1945. His son, Bernardo, became President of Guatemala in 2024.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 10 September 1904 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q881158#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Taxisco ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q881158#P19))
- **Died:** 8 October 1990 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q881158#P570))
- **Place of death:** Guatemala City ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q881158#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Guatemala ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q881158#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; diplomat; writer ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q881158#P106))
- **Political party:** Revolutionary Action Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q881158#P102))
- **Education:** National University of La Plata ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q881158#P69))
- **Spouse:** Elisa de Arévalo; Margarita de León ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q881158#P26))
- **Positions held:** president of Guatemala (15 March 1945 – 15 March 1951); ambassador ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q881158#P39))

## Questions

**When was Juan José Arévalo born?**  
Juan José Arévalo was born on 10 September 1904 in Taxisco.

**What positions has Juan José Arévalo held?**  
Positions held by Juan José Arévalo include: president of Guatemala (1945–1951); ambassador.

**Where did Juan José Arévalo study?**  
Juan José Arévalo was educated at National University of La Plata.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Juan José Arévalo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Jos%C3%A9_Ar%C3%A9valo) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q881158](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q881158) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: JuanJoséArévaloBermejo.jpg by Gobierno de Guatemala, fotógrafo sin identificar del gobierno. Ministerio de la Defensa (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JuanJos%C3%A9Ar%C3%A9valoBermejo.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Juan José Arévalo, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: JuanJoséArévaloBermejo.jpg — Gobierno de Guatemala, fotógrafo sin identificar del gobierno. Ministerio de la Defensa, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Juan José Arévalo". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/juan-jose-arevalo. Retrieved 6 November 2026.