Death of colonel Francisco Javier Arana is of critical importance for the history of Guatemala, because it was a turning point for the country's revolution in the 1940s: his death not only cleared the path for colonel Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán's election as President of Guatemala in 1950 but also caused an acute crisis for president Juan José Arévalo Bermejo, who was faced with the Army's faction loyal to colonel Arana, and to civilian groups that took advantage to protest against the government.