Arias, Arnulfo

▪ president of Panama

born Aug. 15, 1901, Penonomé, Panama

died Aug. 10, 1988, Miami, Fla., U.S.

      three times president of Panama (June 1940–October 1941, November 1949–May 1951, and Oct. 1–12, 1968) and three times deposed.

      The younger brother of Harmodio Arias (Panamanian president, 1932–36), Arias was educated at the University of Chicago and Harvard Medical School (to become a surgeon) and was minister of agriculture and public works in the 1930s during the presidency of his brother. During his first term, he forced foreign businessmen to transfer their companies to Panamanian ownership and divested black West Indians in Panama of their citizenship. He sympathized with the Axis powers in World War II and opposed U.S. requests for defense installations. After the 1941 coup that deposed him (probably encouraged by the United States), he went into exile until 1945. During his dictatorial and corrupt second term, he replaced the constitution, dissolved the National Assembly and the Supreme Court, and was finally deposed by the national police. Denied political rights from 1951 to 1960, Arias ran unsuccessfully for president in 1964, was elected in 1968, and was deposed by the military 11 days after taking office. He ran for president again in 1984, but he was deprived of victory by military-backed fraud. His widow was elected president in 1999.

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