César Montenegro Paniagua
Encyclopedia
César Montenegro Paniagua (1922–1970) was a communist
Guatemala
n politician
, who was assassinated
on April 7, 1970.
Montenegro was born into one of Guatemala's largest and most influential families and was one of twelve children. His father was a successful army general
while his mother was a home maker. He graduated as a teacher but quickly became involved in politics and enthralled with the inequality and poverty in Guatemala. He became involved in Guatemala's first Socialist party
and quickly became a syndicalist.
In 1945, Montenegro married hotelier and socialite Maria Dolores Vega Correu (1924–2007), with whom he had three children, Maria Teresa, Francisco and Domingo Rafael.
Montenegro served as a member of parliament during the presidency of Guatemala's freely-elected, socialist-leaning president Jacobo Arbenz, who was overthrown by a small group of Guatemalans backed by the U.S.
Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA). The CIA codename for the coup was Operation PBSUCCESS
, its second successful overthrow of a foreign government. During the coup, Montenegro and his family escaped into the Mexican
Embassy where they claimed political refuge and went into exile.
After his return to Guatemala with his family, César Montenegro was kidnapped, tortured and murdered during Julio César Méndez
's presidency, and it is rumored the assassination was undertaken with presidential sanction. Méndez was his first cousin and did not attend the funeral however he did send a funeral wreath.
Domingo Rafael fled Guatemala in the late 80's leaving behind his estranged wife and four children. He moved to Australia
where he claimed political asylum, however some may say this claim was undeserved as he was never involved in the political struggle in Guatemala. Maria Dolores arrived in Australia with the aid of Amnesty International
in 1992 where she lived out the reminder of her life until 2007 when she lost her battle against dementia and Alzheimer's disease
. Maria Teresa and her only daughter Nayeli Maria arrived in Australia in 1993, where they obtained a refugee status because of her involvement with General Benedicto Lucas Garcia and his family, her work with UNICEF, and a paper written about the war torn area of Xajul. Maria Teresa's involvement in the guerilla remains unclear.
Maria Teresa and Domingo Rafael are currently still in political exile in Australia with their respective families. The rest of the Montenegro clan continues to flourish in Guatemala.
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who was assassinated
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
on April 7, 1970.
Montenegro was born into one of Guatemala's largest and most influential families and was one of twelve children. His father was a successful army general
Army General
For the army rank of General, as opposed to the specific rank of Army General, see General officer.Army General is a title used in many countries to denote the rank of General nominally commanding an army in the field...
while his mother was a home maker. He graduated as a teacher but quickly became involved in politics and enthralled with the inequality and poverty in Guatemala. He became involved in Guatemala's first Socialist party
Socialist Party
Socialist Party is the name of several different political parties around the world that are explicitly called Socialist. All of these parties claim to uphold socialism, though they might belong to different branches of the socialist movement and might therefore have different interpretations of...
and quickly became a syndicalist.
In 1945, Montenegro married hotelier and socialite Maria Dolores Vega Correu (1924–2007), with whom he had three children, Maria Teresa, Francisco and Domingo Rafael.
Montenegro served as a member of parliament during the presidency of Guatemala's freely-elected, socialist-leaning president Jacobo Arbenz, who was overthrown by a small group of Guatemalans backed by the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA). The CIA codename for the coup was Operation PBSUCCESS
Operation PBSUCCESS
The 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état was a covert operation organized by the United States Central Intelligence Agency to overthrow Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán, the democratically-elected President of Guatemala....
, its second successful overthrow of a foreign government. During the coup, Montenegro and his family escaped into the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
Embassy where they claimed political refuge and went into exile.
After his return to Guatemala with his family, César Montenegro was kidnapped, tortured and murdered during Julio César Méndez
Julio César Méndez Montenegro
Julio César Méndez Montenegro was the Revolutionary Party President of Guatemala from 1 July 1966 to 1 July 1970. The only civilian to occupy Guatemala's presidency during the long period of military rule between 1954 and 1986, Méndez was not allowed to act independently of the military and was...
's presidency, and it is rumored the assassination was undertaken with presidential sanction. Méndez was his first cousin and did not attend the funeral however he did send a funeral wreath.
Domingo Rafael fled Guatemala in the late 80's leaving behind his estranged wife and four children. He moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where he claimed political asylum, however some may say this claim was undeserved as he was never involved in the political struggle in Guatemala. Maria Dolores arrived in Australia with the aid of Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
in 1992 where she lived out the reminder of her life until 2007 when she lost her battle against dementia and Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. Maria Teresa and her only daughter Nayeli Maria arrived in Australia in 1993, where they obtained a refugee status because of her involvement with General Benedicto Lucas Garcia and his family, her work with UNICEF, and a paper written about the war torn area of Xajul. Maria Teresa's involvement in the guerilla remains unclear.
Maria Teresa and Domingo Rafael are currently still in political exile in Australia with their respective families. The rest of the Montenegro clan continues to flourish in Guatemala.
See also
- Julio César MéndezJulio César Méndez MontenegroJulio César Méndez Montenegro was the Revolutionary Party President of Guatemala from 1 July 1966 to 1 July 1970. The only civilian to occupy Guatemala's presidency during the long period of military rule between 1954 and 1986, Méndez was not allowed to act independently of the military and was...