Guillermo Tell Villegas

Infobox_President | name=Guillermo Tell Villegas
small

order=22nd President of Venezuela
term_start=June 28, 1868
term_end=February 20, 1869
predecessor=Manuel Ezequiel Bruzual
successor=José Ruperto Monagas
order2=24th President of Venezuela
term_start2=April 16, 1870
term_end2=April 27, 1870
predecessor2=José Ruperto Monagas
successor2=Antonio Guzmán Blanco
order3=34th President of Venezuela
term_start3=June 17, 1892
term_end3=October 7, 1892
predecessor3=Raimundo Andueza Palacio
successor3=Joaquín Crespo
birth_date= 1823
birth_place= Valencia, Carabobo
death_date= death date|1907|3|21|mf=y
death_place= Valencia , Carabobo
party=Liberal Party

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Guillermo Tell Villegas, was President of Venezuela in 1868, 1870 and 1892. Was born in Valencia, Venezuela, 1823 and died in Valencia, March 21, 1907.

His political figuration begin during the Federal War, once graduate like lawyer in the Central University of Venezuela. In 1859 was designated governor of Barinas, and in 1863, delegated in the Assembly of la Victoria. Later, evolved like undersecretary of Interior and Justice during the government of Juan Crisóstomo Falcón on July, 1863, in August of the same year is designated Interior and Justice minister, and is in charge temporarily of the Ministry of Outer Relations, due to the absence of Antonio Guzmán Blanco. One of his most important profits being minister of Interior and Justice, was the elaboration of the decree of Constitutional Guarantees, in which the capital punishment, the exile and prison for the political enemies of the government were eliminated, being guaranteed the freedom of expression. In 1864, was designated member of the High Federal Court and two years later, member of the Supreme Federal Court. In 1867, disappointed by the government of Juan Crisóstomo Falcón, participates next to "Pedro Ezequiel Rojas, Elías Rojas, Martin Sanabria" and "José Antonio Mosquera" in the revolution known like "La Genuina", directed by "Luciano Mendoza". At the beginning of 1868, before the imminent outbreak of "La Revolución Azul", Villegas acts like vice-president of a meeting of 1000 people carried out at the Caracas theater, with the purpose of conciliate the position of the Falcón government with the exigencies of "La Revolución Azul", commanded by "Miguel Antonio Rojas" and José Tadeo Monagas.

On April, 1868, is designated president of the House of Representatives, from where he is openly against the government of Falcón. From the triumph on June, 1868 of the "Revolución Azul", became an important figure of the new government, being named minister of Outer Relations, president of the Council of Government, and being in charge of the presidency of the Republic, on June 28 of that year. Thence the amnesty to the political prisoners had an important political work, granting and declaring effective the Federal Constitution of 1864, the union of the parties, the vindication of the citizen rights, the practice of the genuine federal right and the complete abolition of the regime established by Falcón. Like president, decreed official honors to the mortal rest of general Ezequiel Zamora, honors and repatriation to Venezuela from New York City of the rest of José María Vargas, honors to the memory of general José Gregorio Monagas, the installation of a statue of Simón Bolívar in the main square of Caracas, the availability of 13000 "pesos" for the support of the national schools, the pardon to the political figures of the events of 1868, and the creation of the “Cabinet Presidency”. On February, 1869, gives the presidency to José Ruperto Monagas, and on September, 1869, becomes Interior minister. In 1870, is in charge again of the presidency, when José Ruperto Monagas fought with the "Revolución Liberal", led by Antonio Guzmán Blanco. However, the triumph of the movement commanded by Guzmán, will retired Villegas of the politics. On 1876, founds the school "La Paz", from where he makes an outstanding educative work. In 1884 writes a Castilian Grammar book, and in 1887 is the author of "Homófonos de la lengua castellana".

In 1889, like commissioner by the National Executive, presents a report to the minister of Public Instruction for the formation of a book catalogue, of popular instruction in Venezuela, by private initiative. In 1889 is designated minister of Public Instruction by the government of Juan Pablo Rojas Paúl. In 1892, is designated president of the Federal Council in the government of Raimundo Andueza Palacio, in this charge, he assume the temporary presidency of the Republic during the outbreak of the "Revolución Legalista" directed by Joaquin Crespo. After the end of Andueza's government, and the triumph of the movement led by Crespo, he leaves to exile, to return definitively distant of politics. In 1895, his most important work is published: "Primer libro venezolano de literatura, ciencias y bellas artes". On October 6, 1901, was designated to be incorporated like individual of number of the National Academy of History, which could not be carried out due to the age of Villegas.

References

* [http://www.venezuelatuya.com/biografias/tell_villegas.htm Guillermo Tell Villegas]

See also

*Venezuela
*Presidents of Venezuela