Justo Rufino Barrios
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His Excellency General of Division Justo Rufino Barrios |
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General Justo Rufino Barrios
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| President of Guatemala | |
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In office June 4, 1873 – April 2, 1885 |
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| Preceded by | Miguel García Granados |
| Succeeded by | Alejandro M. Sinibaldi |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 19, 1835 San Lorenzo, San Marcos  Guatemala
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| Died | April 2, 1885 (aged 49) Chalchuapa, El Salvador 
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| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse(s) | Francisca Aparicio |
| Residence | Guatemala City |
| Profession | Army General |
| Religion | Roman Catholic, then Positivism |
Justo Rufino Barrios (July 19, 1835, in San Lorenzo, San Marcos – April 2, 1885, in Chalchuapa, El Salvador) who was President of Guatemala was known for his liberal reforms and his attempts to reunite Central America.
Barrios was known from his youth for his intellect and energy, went to Guatemala City to study law, and became a lawyer in 1862.
In 1867, revolt broke out in western Guatemala, which many residents wished to return to its former status of an independent state as Los Altos. Barrios joined with the rebels in Quetzaltenango, and soon proved himself a capable military leader, and in time gained the rank of general in the rebel army.
In July 1871, Barrios, together with other generals and dissidents, issued the "Plan for the Fatherland" proposing to overthrow Guatemala's long entrenched Conservadora (conservative) administration; soon after, they succeeded in doing so, and General García Granados was declared president and Barrios commander of the armed forces. While Barrios was back in Quetzaltenago, García Granados was seen as weak by his own party members and was asked to call for elections, as the general consent was that Barrios would make a better president. Barrios was elected president in 1873.
The Conservative government in Honduras gave military backing to a group of Guatemalan Conservatives wishing to take back the government, so Barrios declared war on the Honduran government. At the same time, Barrios, together with President Luis Bogran of Honduras, declared an intention to reunify the old United Provinces of Central America.
During his time in office, Barrios continued with the liberal reforms initiated by García Granados, but he was more aggressive implementing them. A summary of his reforms is:
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Wikipedia