San Marcos | |
---|---|
Nickname(s): Marquesa de La Ensenada | |
Location in Guatemala | |
Coordinates: 14°57′55″N 91°47′45″W / 14.96528°N 91.79583°WCoordinates: 14°57′55″N 91°47′45″W / 14.96528°N 91.79583°W | |
Country | Guatemala |
Department | San Marcos |
Elevation | 7,867 ft (2,398 m) |
Population | |
• Total | 45,000 |
Climate | Cwb |
San Marcos (elevation: 7,868 feet (2,398 meters) is a city and municipality in Guatemala. It is the capital of the department of San Marcos. The municipality has a population of approximately 45,000.
In September 1897, after the failure of both the interoceanic railroad and the Central American Expo and the deep economic crisis that Guatemala was facing after the plummeting of both coffee and silver international prices, the people of Quetzaltenango raised in arms against the decision of president José María Reina Barrios to extend his presidential term until 1902. A group of rebels, among them a former Secretary of Reina Barrios's cabinet -Próspero Morales-, began to combat on 7 September 1897 attacking San Marcos; after several battles and some gains in Ocos, Coatepeque and Colomba the rebels were definitely defeated on 4 October 1897. As a result, on 23 October 1897, San Pedro Sacatepéquez became the capital of San Marcos Department.
In 1902 the eruption of the Santa María volcano in the neighboring department of Quetzaltenango was responsible for the destruction of the twin towns of San Marcos and San Pedro Sacatepéquez. The towns were rebuilt and on 16 December 1935, during the presidency of general Jorge Ubico, it was annexed to San Pedro Sacatepéquez forming the municipality of La Unión San Marcos. However, this system did not work and La Unión San Marcos was broken apart on 20 July 1945, but San Pedro Sacatepéquez lost the capital of San Marcos Department to the municipality of San Marcos.