Alfredo Zayas
| Alfredo Zayas | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| President of Cuba | |
|
In office 20 May 1921 – 20 May 1925 |
|
| Vice President | Francisco Carrillo |
| Preceded by | Mario García Menocal |
| Succeeded by | Gerardo Machado |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
February 21, 1861 Havana, Spanish Cuba |
| Died | April 11, 1934 (aged 73) Havana, Cuba |
| Nationality |
 Cuban
|
| Political party | Liberal Party |
| Other political affiliations |
National League |
| Spouse(s) | 1st Margarita María Teresa Claudia del Carmen Arrieta y Diago, 2nd 1914 María Asunción de las Mercedes Jaén y Planas |
| Children | Margarita Zayas y Arrieta Alfredo Zayas y Arrieta Francisco Zayas y Arrieta Maria-Teresa Zayas y Arrieta Alfredo Zayas y Mendez |
| Occupation | Attorney |
Alfredo de Zayas y Alfonso (February 21, 1861 – April 11, 1934), usually known as Alfredo de Zayas under Spanish naming customs and also known as Alfredo Zayas, was a Cuban lawyer, poet and political figure. He served as prosecutor, judge, mayor of Havana, secretary of the Constitutional Convention, Senator 1905, president of the Senate 1906, Vice President of Cuba 1908–1913 and President of Cuba from May 20, 1921 to May 20, 1925.
Born in Havana into an aristocratic family with old sugar plantations, he was the 5th child of Dr. José María de Zayas y Jiménez (1824–1887), a noted lawyer and educator, and Lutgarda Alfonso y Espada (1831–1898). He was brother to Dr. Juan Bruno de Zayas y Alfonso (1867–1896), a medical doctor and revolutionary hero who died in the war for Cuba's independence, and of Dr. Francisco de Zayas y Alfonso (1857–1924), Cuba's long-time Minister to Paris and Brussels. As one of the leaders of the Cuban insurrection of 1895, he ceased using the noble-sounding "de" in his name and became known simply as Alfredo Zayas. Besides his successful legal practice, he was active in Cuban literary circles and was co-editor of the journal "Cuba Literaria".
Zayas was an intellectual, not a military leader, and during the 1895-1898 Cuban war of independence, he was arrested and sent to prison in the African possession of Ceuta. When deported (September 20. 1896), while in transit in Spain's Cárcel Modelo of Madrid, he wrote some of his best poetry, like "Al Caer la Nieve" subsequently published in his Obras Completas, Vol. 1, Poesia. Zayas was sometimes referred to as the "erudite civilian president", because unlike his predecessor and his successor he did not have experience in the field of battle.
Upon his return to Cuba after the Spanish–Cuban–American War (known in the U.S. as Spanish–American War), he became acting mayor of Havana. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention 1901 and became its secretary. A vocal leader of the opposition against U.S. annexation of Cuba, he voted against the Platt Amendment and against granting naval bases to the United States in Guantánamo and Bahia Honda.
...
Wikipedia