Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García
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His Excellency General of Division Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García |
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|---|---|
| Defense Secretary of Guatemala | |
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In office 1972–1973 |
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| President | General Carlos Arana Osorio |
| President of Guatemala | |
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In office July 1, 1974 – July 1, 1978 |
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| Preceded by | Carlos Arana Osorio |
| Succeeded by | Fernando Romeo Lucas Garcia |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 24, 1930 |
| Died | December 9, 2009 (aged 79) |
| Alma mater | Command and General Staff College |
| Profession | Military |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 Guatemala
|
| Service/branch | Guatemalan Army |
| Rank | General |
Brigadier General Kjell Eugenio Laugerud García (24 January 1930 – 9 December 2009) was President of Guatemala from 1 July 1974 to 1 July 1978. He was the son of a Norwegian father and Guatemalan mother.
Laugerud received part of his military training in the United States, attending classes at Fort Benning, Georgia, and at Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He served as Guatemalan delegate to the Inter-American Defense Board between 1968 and 1970.
Laugerud had been chief of the army staff and defense minister under President Carlos Arana since 1972, then was elected president in a March 1974 vote that was marred by violence and charges of fraud. His candidature had been endorsed by both the military-backed Institutional Democratic Party and the far right National Liberation Movement. During his term, Guatemala experienced a disastrous earthquake in 1976, and had continuing disputes with neighboring Belize. In 1977, after the Carter administration published a report critical of the human rights situation in Guatemala, Laugerud announced that the country would no longer accept US military aid. Guatemala did in fact receive funds that had already been appropriated for that year, and later turned to other nations, such as Israel, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Taiwan, and Yugoslavia for military aid and arms supplies.
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