Federico Ponce Vaides

Federico Ponce Vaides was a Guatemalan military officer and politician who briefly took power as the acting president following the resignation of Jorge Ubico Castañeda in 1944. Known for his authoritarian tendencies, Ponce Vaides attempted to maintain the dictatorial status quo in Guatemala, leading to increased tensions that contributed to the revolutionary movements of the time. His tenure was marked by a struggle against the burgeoning democratic reforms initiated by subsequent leaders, which culminated in a coup d'état supported by the United States in 1954.