J40  SELLING  LATIN  AMERICA
Emperor  of  Mexico,  annexed  them  to  his  territory ­
  in  1822  despite  their  protests.  After
the  downfall  of  Iturbide’s  government  and  the
execution  of  its  head,  these  states  again  formed
a  new  union  in  1824.  Continual  friction  and
lack  of  harmony  among  the  various  countries,
caused  its  dissolution  and  one  state  after  the
other  withdrew  and  ultimately  established
and  proclaimed  its  independence.  Several
abortive  attempts  since  the  rupture  of  1839
have  been  made  to  reorganize  this  union,  and
the  chances  are  that  these  states  will  always
maintain  their  separate  individualities.
Each  one,  including  Panama,  is  organized
as  a  republic,  with  a  constitution  based  on  that
of  the  United  States,  an  executive  in  the  personage ­
  of  a  President,  and  a  legislative  body
composed  of  two  houses—a  Senate  and  a
House  of  Representatives  or  Chamber  of
Deputies.
British  Honduras  is  ruled  by  a  governor
sent  from  England.
Guatemala  has  a  total  area  of  48,290  square
miles,  with  a  population  of  2,000,000,  the