Editing Jacobo Árbenz (section)

===1950 election===

Árbenz's role as defense minister had already made him a strong candidate for the presidency, and his firm support of the government during the 1949 uprising further increased his prestige.{{sfn|Gleijeses|1992|pp=73–84}} In 1950 the economically moderate [[National Integrity Party|Partido de Integridad Nacional]] (PIN) announced that Árbenz would be its presidential candidate in the upcoming election. The announcement was quickly followed by endorsements from most parties on the left, including the influential PAR, as well as from labor unions.{{sfn|Gleijeses|1992|pp=73–84}} Árbenz carefully chose the PIN as the party to nominate him. Based on the advice of his friends and colleagues, he believed it would make his candidacy appear more moderate.{{sfn|Gleijeses|1992|pp=73–84}} Árbenz himself resigned his position as Defense Minister on 20 February and declared his candidacy for the presidency. Arévalo wrote him an enthusiastic personal letter in response but publicly only reluctantly endorsed him, preferring, it is thought, his friend Víctor Manuel Giordani, who was then Health Minister. It was only the support Árbenz had, and the impossibility of Giordani being elected, that led to Arévalo deciding to support Árbenz.{{sfn|Gleijeses|1992|p=74}}

Prior to his death, Arana had planned to run in the 1950 presidential elections. His death left Árbenz without any serious opposition in the elections (leading some, including the CIA and US military intelligence, to speculate that Árbenz personally had him eliminated for this reason).{{sfn|Streeter|2000|pp=15–17}} Árbenz had only a couple of significant challengers in the election, in a field of ten candidates.{{sfn|Gleijeses|1992|pp=73–84}} One of these was [[Jorge García Granados]], supported by some members of the upper-middle class who felt the revolution had gone too far. Another was [[Miguel Ydígoras Fuentes]], who had been a general under Ubico and had the support of the hardline opponents of the revolution. During his campaign, Árbenz promised to continue and expand the reforms begun under Arévalo.{{sfn|Immerman|1982|pp=60–61}} Árbenz was expected to win the election comfortably because he had the support of both major political parties of the country, as well as that of the labor unions, which campaigned heavily on his behalf.{{sfn|Gleijeses|1992|p=83}} In addition to political support, Árbenz had great personal appeal. He was described as having "an engaging personality and a vibrant voice".{{sfn|Immerman|1982|p=62}} Árbenz's wife María also campaigned with him; despite her wealthy upbringing she had made an effort to speak for the interests of the Mayan peasantry and had become a national figure in her own right. Árbenz's two daughters also occasionally made public appearances with him.{{sfn|Immerman|1982|pp=62–62}}

The election was held on 15 November 1950, with Árbenz winning more than 60% of the vote, in elections that were largely free and fair with the exception of the disenfranchisement of illiterate female voters.{{sfn|Gleijeses|1992|pp=73–84}} Árbenz got more than three times as many votes as the runner-up, Ydígoras Fuentes, who claimed electoral fraud had benefited Árbenz. Scholars have pointed out that while fraud may possibly have given Árbenz some of his votes, it was not the reason that he won the election.{{sfn|Streeter|2000|p=16}} Árbenz's promise of land reform played a large role in ensuring his victory.{{sfn|Forster|2001|p=2}} The election of Árbenz alarmed US State Department officials, who stated that Arana "has always represented the only positive conservative element in the Arévalo administration" and that his death would "strengthen {{sic|Left|ist}} materially", and that "developments forecast sharp leftist trend within the government."{{sfn|Gleijeses|1992|p=124}} Árbenz was inaugurated as president on 15 March 1951.{{sfn|Gleijeses|1992|pp=73–84}}