- Gabriel Terra
Dr. Gabriel Terra, (1873–1942) was the
President of Uruguay from 1931 to 1938.Background
Born in
Montevideo to a wealthy family, he graduated from theUniversity of Uruguay in 1895, and subsequently joined the faculty.He began his career as a member of the Colorado Party under his predecessor as president,
José Batlle y Ordóñez in a number of government roles. From 1925 he was the minister for Industry and Employment.His nephew
Horacio Terra Arocena served as a Senator. [ 'Horacio Terra Arocena' Wikipedia (in Spanish), ,] His great-nephewJuan Pablo Terra served as a Deputy and a Senator.President of Uruguay
After being selected to lead the country by the congress in 1930, he came to power in 1931. He suspended the congress in 1933, disbanded the special body set up by the constitution in 1919 to provide checks and balances. This was soon followed by the total abolition of the constitution, and the merger of state powers with the presidency. He produced a new constitution in 1934 and he put himself up for election, and was elected under a shroud of suspicion.
Terra predominantly ruled harshly and by
diktat , put in jail university professionals, or isolated them on an island, “Isla de Flores” his political opponents, but continuing most of the socialist reforms begun by his predecessor. He brutally suppressed a revolt against him in 1935.Terra's
interior minister wasAlberto Demichelli , who much later was himself to becomePresident of Uruguay as an interim measure in 1976. Demichelli's wife,Sofía Álvarez Vignoli de Demichelli , was noted for her diplomatic activity during Terra's Presidency.Terra's
Vice President wasCésar Charlone , who served from 1934 to 1938.Terra was noted for bringing into his government former opposition figures such as
Martín Echegoyen , who himself later becamePresident of Uruguay and, likeAlberto Demicheli subsequently participated prominently in the civilian-military rule which took office underJuan María Bordaberry after 1973.He broke off relations with the USSR and the Spanish Republic, while he met Roosevelt and Britain regarding his debts to them. Later he made a close friendship with Hitler and Mussolini who lent him a loan with no return to construct the “
Rincón del Bonete Hydro Dam and Power Plant”See also
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Politics of Uruguay
*List_of_political_families#Uruguay References
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External links
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* (photo:) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Terra1913.jpg
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