1954 Guatemalan coup d'état

The 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état was a pivotal event in which the U.S. government orchestrated the overthrow of democratically elected President Jacobo Árbenz. His land reforms aimed at redistributing land from wealthy landowners to peasant farmers threatened U.S. business interests, particularly the United Fruit Company. In response, the CIA backed a rebellion led by Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas. The coup resulted in Árbenz’s resignation and the establishment of a military dictatorship, leading to decades of political instability and conflict in Guatemala. This event highlights U.S. intervention in Latin America during the Cold War era.