Álvaro Enrique Arzú Irigoyen (; 14 March 1946 – 27 April 2018) was a Guatemalan politician and businessman who served as the 44th president of Guatemala from 1996 to 2000, as well as several terms as Mayor of Guatemala City. The main achievement of his presidency was the signature of a peace accord with the guerrilla group Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity, which ended Guatemala's 36-year-long civil war.
He was elected Mayor of Guatemala City on six occasions: in 1982, when he declined to take office because of a coup d'état; in 1986; in 2003, after serving as president; in 2007; in 2011 and 2015, for a term that would see him die in office.
Early career
Born in Guatemala City, Arzú studied Social and Legal Sciences at Rafael Landívar University. In 1978 he became director of the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (INGUAT); he occupied this position until 1981 when he was elected mayor of Guatemala City for the Guatemalan Christian Democracy (DCG) party. In 1986 he became mayor, after winning the election under the umbrella of the Plan for National Advancement civic committee.
The main achievement of Arzú's presidency was the signature of a peace accord with the guerrilla group Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity, which ended Guatemala's 36-year-long civil war. The negotiations had been going on since 1990, and Arzú gave them a vital new impulse when he met the URNG in Mexico on 26 February 1996. As part of this process, several public transportation and utility companies were privatized, which drew heavy criticism due to accusations of irregularities during the process. Some of these companies were the electric utility Empresa Eléctrica de Guatemala (EEGSA), the telephone service provider GUATEL, the national airline Aviateca, and the railway company FEGUA.
Post-presidency and death
After his presidential term, Arzú became a member of the Central American Parliament; he occupied this seat from 2000 to 2004.
In his final years, 2017 and 2018, Arzú crusaded against the United Nations Commissioner of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), Iván Velásquez, and against the Attorney General, Thelma Aldana, openly accusing them of carrying out a slow coup d'état against President Morales under the cover of a fight against corruption and impunity. In the meantime, he had come under fire himself. On 27 April 2018, Arzú had a heart attack while playing golf in Guatemala City. He died in hospital later that day.
Personal life
Arzú had three children with his first wife, Sylvia García Granados, and two children with his second wife, Patricia Escobar.
He was Guatemala's national squash rackets champion on several occasions.
Awards
- 1996: UNESCO's Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize
- 2005: Ranked third in the World Mayor contest.