High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! José Rafael Carrera Turcios (24 October 1814 Guatemala City 14 April 1865 Guatemala City) was the ruler of Guatemala from about 1839 until his death. He was the first President of Guatemala, representing the Conservatives, on two occasions: from 4 December 1844 to 16 August 1848, and from 6 November 1851 - 14 April 1865 (from the adoption of the 1851 constitution until his death). In the 1830s Rafael Carrera was an illiterate but shrewd and charismatic swineherd turned highwayman, pledged a vendetta against Central American president Francisco Morazán and the Federal government after undisciplined Federal soldiers killed some of his relatives. Local conservative factions at first tried to use Carrera for their own ends, but by 1838 Carrera became de facto ruler of much of Guatemala. Morazán repeatedly chased Carrera's forces out of cities and towns, but Carrera's followers would retake places as soon as Morazán's army left.