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 GuyanaGuyana Gains Independence British Guiana became a Crown colony in 1928,
and in 1953 it was granted home rule. In 1950, Cheddi Jagan, who was
Indian-Guyanese, and Forbes Burnham, who was Afro-Guyanese, created the
colony's first political party, the Progressive People's Party (PPP),
which was dedicated to gaining the colony's independence. In the 1953
elections, Cheddi Jagan was elected chief minister. The British, however,
alarmed by Jagan's Marxist views, suspended the constitution and
government within months and installed an interim government. In 1955, the
PPP split, with Burnham breaking off to create the People's National
Congress (PNC). The leftist Jagan of the PPP and the more moderate Burnham
of the PNC were to dominate Guyanan politics for decades to come. In 1961,
Britain granted the colony autonomy, and Jagan became prime minister
(1961–1964). Strikes and rioting weakened Jagan's rule, much of it
believed to be the result of covert CIA operations. In 1964, Burnham
succeeded Jagan as prime minister, a position he retained after the
country gained full independence on May 26, 1966. With independence, the
country returned to its traditional name, Guyana.
In 1978, the country gained worldwide attention
when American religious cult leader Jim Jones and 900 of his followers
committed mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana.
Burnham ruled Guyana until his death in 1985
(from 1980 to 1985, after a change in the constitution, he served as
president). Guyana's first independent decades were marked by continued
racial unrest between Indian-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese as well as
economic malaise.
Desmond Hoyte of the PNC became president in
1985, but in 1992 the PPP reemerged, winning a majority in the general
election. Jagan became president, and the former Marxist succeeded in
reviving the economy. After his death in 1997, his wife, Janet Jagan, was
elected president. Former finance minister Bharrat Jagdeo assumed the
presidency in 1999.
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