Anastasio Somoza Debayle's term in office was due to end in May 1972 due to a law which disallowed immediate re-election. In 1971
Somoza signed the "Kupia-Kumi Pact" with
Fernando Agüero's
Social Conservative Party that allowed him to stand for reelection in 1974. Through this agreement, the conservative minority had their congressional quota increased to 40 percent. A constituent assembly was also established, and a triumvirate comprising one conservative (
Agüero) and two nationalist liberals from
Somoza's
Nationalist Liberal Party designated to rule until the end of 1974, when new elections were to be held.
Somoza would retain his post as the
National Guard commander to ensure no loss of real power. The members of the Liberal-Conservative Junta were general Roberto Martínez Lacayo and
Alfonso Lovo Cordero (Nationalist Liberals) and
Fernando Agüero (Conservative). In 1973,
Agüero resigned and was replaced by another conservative; Edmundo Paguaga Irías. On 23 December 1972, an
earthquake struck the nation's capital, Managua, killing about 5,000 people and virtually destroying the city. The government declared martial law, and Somoza took over de jure as well as de facto control of the country as head of the National Emergency Committee. ==See also==