Miguel Garcia Granados
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His Excellency General of Division Miguel Garcia Granados |
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| President of Guatemala | |
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In office June 30th 1871 – June 4th 1873 |
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| Preceded by | Vicente Cerna y Cerna |
| Succeeded by | Justo Rufino Barrios |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
September 29, 1809 Puerto de Santa María,  Spain
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| Died | September 8, 1878 (aged 68) Ciudad de Guatemala,  Guatemala
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| Political party | Liberal of Guatemala |
| Children | María García Granados y Saborío |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Miguel García Granados y Zavala (September 29, 1809 – September 8, 1878) was President of Guatemala from 29 June 1871 to 4 June 1873. He was an influential figure in the broad sweep of 19th-century Guatemalan history.
García Granados was born in Puerto de Santa María, Spain, and, as a young adolescent, was brought to Central America. He was a member of a very wealthy military family. He visited several places at the age of twenty-three. The places included South America, the European continent, and the cities of New York and Philadelphia in the US. García Granados completed his schooling in London.
To Guatemalans, García Granados was known as a moderate liberal. He had compromised with Rafael Carrera, and always wanted to get along with Vicente Cerna, his successor. Failing to get along and known to be sympathetic with the revolt against the government, García Granados fled to exile and was supported by Guatemalan liberals. After going back to Guatemala, García Granados became the leader of the revolution against General Vicente Cerna, eventually becoming known as its philosopher. García Granados played a key part in the regime of Justo Rufino Barrios, the founder of "the army of 45 men". He served as a provisional president from 1871 to 1873 after the liberal victory of Guatemala City. Despite many difficulties, García Granados wanted to regularize the government by constructing a lawful regime. Following in 1872, the president invaded Honduras, where he decreed freedom of the press and expelled the Jesuits.
García Granados and his successor, Barrios, appeared to support as many liberal revolts as possible. During his presidency, García Granados created, by decree, the Guatemalan flag which remains almost identical to his version, produced in 1871. During his presidency Garcia Granados gave support to education and the arts. In 1871 he invited the Italian conductor Pietro Visoni to stay in Guatemala and become the director of the main military band. Visoni went on to found the Martial Symphony Band and the School of Substitutes (Escuela de Substitutos) which functioned as the first formal music conservatory in Central America. After García Granados stepped down, Barrios served as president until the mid-1870s.
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