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Indirect presidential elections were held in Guatemala on 8 April 1920. After two decades of repression and dictatorial rule, political opponents of Manuel Estrada Cabrera organized the Unionist Party (PU) in 1919. Led by Conservatives tied to the landed oligarchy, the Unionists also attracted support among the urban proletariat, artisans, students, and industrialists.
In January 1920 the Unionists allied with dissident Liberals in the legislature led by Adrian Vidaurre. Toward the end of March 1920 the Unionists began to pressure the National Legislative Assembly to impeach Estrada Cabrera. Even those who had benfitted from his rule accepted that Cabrera should step down. On 8 April he was declared insane and no longer capable of governing the country by members of the Legislative Assembly. They then voted to replace him with Carlos Herrera y Luna (36 out of 42 voted for him). On 9 April Cabrera ordered troops still loyal to him to bomb the Unionist-held Guatemala City, but on 15 April Congress accepted his resignation.