Decree 900

The Agrarian Reform Law of 1952 established mechanisms for redistributing unused agricultural lands larger than 90 hectares to local farmers and peasants.

President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman introduced Decree 900 on June 17, 1952, marking a shift from feudal land structures toward modern agricultural practices.

The reform provided 500,000 indigenous people access to agricultural land, addressing centuries of dispossession since the Spanish colonial period.

Local Agrarian Committees managed the redistribution process, allowing citizens to submit petitions for land allocation through established legal channels.

The law resulted in the reallocation of 570,000 hectares within 18 months, leading to increased production of corn, coffee, and bananas.

GPS coordinates: 14.61330,-90.53530

Latest update: May 27, 2025 06:59