Isaías Medina Angarita

Infobox_President | name=Isaías Medina Angarita


order=44th President of Venezuela
term_start=May 5, 1941
term_end=October 18, 1945
predecessor=Eleazar López Contreras
successor=Rómulo Betancourt
birth_date=birth date|1897|7|6|mf=y
birth_place=San Cristóbal, Venezuela
death_date=death date and age|1953|9|15|1897|7|6|mf=y
death_place= Caracas, Venezuela
party=Venezuelan Democratic Party
religion=Roman Catholic


spouse=Irma Felizola |

Isaías Medina Angarita (July 6 1897 in San Cristóbal, Venezuela – September 15 1953 in Caracas) was a Venezuelan military and political leader, president of Venezuela from 1941 until 1945.

Medina followed the path of his predecessor Eleazar López Contreras, and ruled the country's democratic transition process. He founded the Venezuelan Democratic Party in 1943. However, some in the Army considered him too liberal while other political enemies accused him of being too conservative, and both sides produced a putsch on October 18 1945.

Early life and career

Son of the coriano general José Rosendo Medina and Alejandrina Angarita García. He made his studies of primary and baccalaureate in his native city and at the age of 15 was transferred to Caracas to register in the Military school on March 9, 1912, in which he would withdraw with the second lieutenant degree on July 23, 1914. That same year directed the third squad of the third company and the "Manuel Piar" second battalion of the infantry regiment. Later, on February, 1919 he returns to the Military school like commander of the company of cadets and professor of this institution. Being lieutenant colonel on January 15, 1927, one also evolves like professor of Castilian in the School of Aspirings to Officials and of physical education in the Federal Schools of Caracas, the Normal School of Men and the grammar school Andrés Bello, these educational tasks, are going away to relate him with other professors and students, being part of groups of new ideas and new political tendencies, being even in favor of the university autonomy. Later, he narrows his relation with the intellectual circles being united to the Athens Group and the Club of the Seven. On the other hand, during this time was head of the Military Direction of the War and Navy Ministry, is there where he initiated his friendship with Eleazar López Contreras. In 1930 was member of the Commission of Military and Naval regulationses, was designated in 1931 temporary assistant of the Headquarters of the General Staff and from July 15, 1931, was head of the Cabinet and secretary of the War and Navy Ministry, position that carried out until July 12, 1935. Ascended to the colonel degree, he is named by executive decree minister of War and Navy, on March 1, 1936 and Brigadier general on July 5, 1940.

Presidency and last years

Medina became a candidate to the presidency of Venezuela. Later, in the elections conducted by the National Congress on April 28, 1941, Isaías Medina Angarita is elect for the first Magistrature, with 120 votes, against 13 obtained by his closest opponent, Rómulo Gallegos. In April 30, 1941, he married Irma Felizola, and on May 5 he assumed the Presidency of the Republic. For this moment, Venezuela had 3.870.771 inhabitants and Caracas 269,000, and a national budget of Bs. 300.000.000. As far as the characteristics of Medina Angarita tying the man to the policy and Head of State, what we have was a civilist military man who respected human rights and freedom of expression, for he allowed the free activity of the political parties, promoted constitutional reforms which granted for the first time the vote to women, instituted the direct election of deputies and allowed the legalization of the Venezuelan Communist Party. However, the non implementation of universal, direct and secret suffrage is considered a serious mistake, for it was the main cause used to justify his fall. After being overthrown on October 18, 1945, by a civic-military coup d'etat, he was arrested and expelled from the country.

On May 8, 1952, suffered an accident of the cerebral artery, being hospitalized at the Doctor's Hospital of New York, city where he passed his exile. When his return to Caracas was allowed by the government, he had an irreversible sequel of his disease, passing away on September 15, 1953 as a result of the rupture of an abdominal aneurism.

See also

*Venezuela
*Presidents of Venezuela