Today in the Sobel Timeline: April 20

On April 20, 1870, Guatemalan President Vicente Martinez granted rights to build a trans-oceanic canal to the San Francisco-based consortium Kramer Associates. Although it was widely believed that Mexican President Omar Kinkaid had arranged for the coup d'etat that overthrew Martinez' predecessor, Kinkaid in fact had no involvement in the operation, which was directed and financed entirely by K.A. Guatemala would be the first country to have its government subverted by K.A., but not the last.