洛斯阿尔托斯

The State of Los Altos (Spanish: Estado de Los Altos), commonly known as Los Altos, was the 6th state of the Federal Republic of Central America from 1838 to 1840 and a short-lived independent republic from 1848 to 1849. Its capital was Quetzaltenango. Los Altos occupied eight departments in the west of present-day Guatemala as well as the Soconusco region in the Mexican state of Chiapas.

The state originated from the political differences and tensions between Guatemala City on one side, and Quetzaltenango and other parts of western Central America on the other. Debate about separation from Guatemala dated from shortly after Central American independence from Spain in 1821. Such a separate state was provided for by the Federal constitutional assembly of November 1824, but there was sizable opposition to the separation in Guatemala City.

As the liberal Federation crumbled into civil war due to the influence of the Guatemalan conservatives and the regular clergy, who had been expelled from Central America after Francisco Morazán's bloody invasion of Guatemala in 1829, Los Altos declared itself an independent republic.

The independence of Los Altos from Guatemala was officially proclaimed on 2 February 1838. The Federal government recognized Los Altos as the sixth state of the union and seated the representatives of Los Altos in the Federal Congress on 5 June of that year. The flag of Los Altos was a modification of that of the Central American Union, with a central seal showing a volcano in the background with a quetzal (a local bird symbolizing liberty) in front. This was the first Central American flag to use the quetzal as a symbol; since 1871, it has been on the present flag of Guatemala.

Administrative divisions

Los Altos consisted of three administrative regions:

Totonicapán (the modern Guatemalan departments of Totonicapán, Huehuetenango)

Quetzaltenango (the modern departments of Quetzaltenango and San Marcos)

Suchitepéquez-Sololá (the modern departments of Retalhuleu, Suchitepéquez, Sololá, and Quiché)

First period of separation

First invasion of Rafael Carrera

On April 2, 1838, in the city of Quetzaltenango, a secessionist group founded the independent State of Los Altos, which sought independence from Guatemala. The most important members of the Liberal Party of Guatemala and liberal enemies of the conservative regime moved to Los Altos, rather than needing to emigrate to El Salvador to live in a pro-liberal state.

The liberals in Los Altos began a harsh criticism of the Conservative government of Rivera Paz; they even had their own newspaper – El Popular, which contributed to the harsh criticism.

However, Los Altos was the most productive region with most economic activity of the former State of Guatemala; without Los Altos, conservatives lost many benefits that held the hegemony of the State of Guatemala in Central America.

The government of Guatemala tried to reach a peaceful solution, but "altenses", protected by the recognition by the Congress of the Central American Federation, did not accept this.……

Second invasion of Rafael Carrera

On March 18, 1840, liberal caudillo Francisco Morazán invaded Guatemala with 1500 soldiers to avenge the insult done in Los Altos and fearing that such action would end liberal efforts to hold together the Central American Federation.……

Second period of separation

Guatemala became a sovereign and independent republic on 21 March 1847. By 1848, the situation in Guatemala was chaotic: Serapio Cruz was attacking Quiché region, inciting revolts against the government; there were riots in the eastern part of the country; liberals and conservatives were in constant conflict. The liberals were able to force Carrera to resign on 17 August 1848 and into exile.

On Carrera's absence, the Quetzaltenango capitulars – led by general Agustín Guzmán, who occupied the city after Corregidor General Mariano Paredes was called to Guatemala City to take over the presidential office – declared that Los Altos was an independent state once again on 26 August 1848. The new state had the support of the government of El Salvador led by President Doroteo Vasconcelos and the rebel guerrilla army of Vicente and Cruz who were declared enemies of general Carrera. On 5 September, the criollos altenses chose a formal government led by Fernando Antonio Martínez.