# Otto Pérez Molina > President of Guatemala (2012-2015) **Wikidata**: [Q57539](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57539) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Pérez_Molina) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/otto-perez-molina ## Summary Otto Pérez Molina is a Guatemalan politician and former military officer who served as President of Guatemala from 2012 to 2015. He is best known for being elected president on a law-and-order platform and for his military background, having attended prestigious U.S. and international military academies. His presidency ended amid a corruption scandal that led to his resignation and imprisonment. ## Biography - **Born:** [Date not available in source material] - **Nationality:** Guatemalan - **Education:** Attended the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (United States military school, inception dates: 2001 and 1946) and the Inter-American Defense College (international military academy, inception: October 9, 1962) - **Known for:** Serving as President of Guatemala (2012-2015); former military officer during the Guatemalan Civil War (1960-1996) - **Employer(s):** Government of Guatemala; Patriotic Party (Partido Patriota) — website: http://partidopatriota.com/ - **Field(s):** Politics, Military ## Contributions - **Presidency of Guatemala (2012-2015):** Elected president and served as the head of state of Guatemala, a sovereign country in Central America that gained independence in 1821. - **Military Career:** Began military service in 1966 (work_period_start), with training at U.S. and international military academies. - **Political Leadership:** Founded and led the Patriotic Party (Partido Patriota), using the website http://partidopatriota.com/ for political communication. - **Security Policy:** Promoted law-and-order policies during his presidential campaign and tenure. ## FAQs **What is Otto Pérez Molina best known for?** Otto Pérez Molina is best known for serving as President of Guatemala from 2012 to 2015, having previously been a military officer during the Guatemalan Civil War (1960-1996). **Where did Otto Pérez Molina receive his military training?** He attended the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, a United States military school, and the Inter-American Defense College, an international military academy founded in 1962. **What political party did Otto Pérez Molina lead?** He founded and led the Patriotic Party (Partido Patriota), which can be found online at http://partidopatriota.com/. **What award did Otto Pérez Molina receive?** He was awarded the Order of the Quetzal, which is Guatemala's highest decoration, established on March 26, 1936. **What is Otto Pérez Molina's background?** He began his career as a military officer in 1966 and served during the Guatemalan Civil War (1960-1996) before transitioning to politics. ## Why They Matter Otto Pérez Molina matters as a figure who transitioned from military service to the highest political office in Guatemala. His presidency represented a period where a former military officer, trained at international military academies, led a Central American nation. His resignation in 2015 amid corruption allegations highlighted ongoing challenges with governance and institutional accountability in Guatemala. His career trajectory from military officer (starting in 1966) to president illustrates the complex relationship between military and political power in Guatemalan history, particularly given the country's experience during the Guatemalan Civil War from 1960 to 1996. ## Notable For - President of Guatemala (2012-2015) - Former military officer with training at the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (US) and Inter-American Defense College - Recipient of the Order of the Quetzal (Guatemala's highest decoration) - Founder and leader of the Patriotic Party (Partido Patriota) - Aliases include "Otto Perez Molina" and "El cogedor de cabras" - Served during the Guatemalan Civil War period (1960-1996) ## Body ### Early Life and Military Background Otto Pérez Molina began his career in the military in 1966, entering service during the Guatemalan Civil War (1960-1996), a period of significant internal conflict in Guatemala. His military training included attendance at two prestigious institutions: the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, a United States military school with inception dates in both 1946 and 2001 (reflecting its evolution from the School of the Americas), and the Inter-American Defense College, an international military academy founded on October 9, 1962, headquartered in Washington, D.C. ### Political Career and Presidency Following his military career, Pérez Molina transitioned into politics, founding the Patriotic Party (Partido Patriota). He served as the party's leader and used the website http://partidopatriota.com/ to communicate his political platform. He was elected President of Guatemala in 2012 and served until 2015, representing the sovereign Central American nation that gained independence in 1821. ### Recognition and Awards Pérez Molina received the Order of the Quetzal, which is the highest decoration awarded in Guatemala. This honor was established on March 26, 1936, and recognizes outstanding service to the Guatemalan nation. ### End of Presidency and Legacy His presidency ended in 2015 amid a corruption scandal that led to his resignation and subsequent imprisonment. This period marked a significant moment in Guatemalan political history, bringing issues of governmental accountability to the forefront of national discourse. As a politician with 46 sitelinks across wikimedia projects, his career has been documented extensively in digital encyclopedias, with his wikipedia_title listed as "Otto Pérez Molina." ### Personal Identifiers - Nationality: Guatemalan - Aliases: Otto Perez Molina, El cogedor de cabras - Field of work: Politics, Military - Employer: Government of Guatemala, Patriotic Party - Work period start: 1966 ## References 1. Davos 2014 Participant List 2. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie 3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 4. Davos 2013 Participant List 5. [Source](https://www.infobae.com/america/agencias/2022/12/08/declaran-culpable-a-expresidente-guatemalteco-perez-molina-por-corrupcion/) 6. BBC Things