Carlos Ibáñez del Campo | |
---|---|
20th President of Chile | |
In office May 10, 1927 – November 15, 1931 |
|
Preceded by | Emiliano Figueroa |
Succeeded by | Pedro Opazo |
26th President of Chile | |
In office November 3, 1952 – November 3, 1958 |
|
Preceded by | Gabriel González Videla |
Succeeded by | Jorge Alessandri |
Personal details | |
Born |
Linares, Chile |
November 3, 1877
Died | April 28, 1960 Santiago, Chile |
(aged 82)
Resting place |
Cementerio General de Santiago Santiago, Chile |
Political party | Independent |
Spouse(s) |
Rosa Quiroz de Ávila Graciela Letelier Velasco |
Religion | Roman Catholic |
Signature | |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Chile |
Service/branch | Chilean Army |
Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo (November 3, 1877 – April 28, 1960) was a Chilean Army officer and political figure. He served as President twice, first between 1927 and 1931, and then from 1952 to 1958, serving for 11 years in office.
The presidency of Arturo Alessandri saw a rise in popular discontent over the inefficient government. In 1924, the Chilean armed forces, led by General Luis Altamirano, began the saber-rattling (ruido de sables), a protest where soldiers banged their sabers against the floor of the Congress. Amid threats from the armed forces, Alessandri decided he could no longer govern and submitted his resignation. Although this resignation was not approved by Congress, Alessandri left the country and Altamirano established a military junta.
However, another faction of the armed forces, led by Colonel Marmaduke Grove and Lieutenant Colonel Ibáñez, decided the junta's reforms did not go far enough in ending the government's inefficiency. They led another coup, deposed Altamirano, and established a new junta with Emilio Bello as head. Ibáñez and Grove, the powers behind the scene, agreed to ask Alessandri to return and complete his term.
Alessandri returned in 1925 and drafted a new constitution which was designed to decrease the powers of the legislature, thereby making government more effective. Ibáñez was named Minister of War and later Home Affairs Minister. However, Alessandri decided Ibáñez was becoming too ambitious, and manyridiculed Alessandri as a pawn of Ibáñez. In response, Alessandri resigned once more and went into exile. Ibáñez announced his candidacy in the upcoming presidential elections, but the three main Chilean political parties (Conservative, Liberal, Radical) pressured him to desist. The three parties then presented a consensus choice, Emiliano Figueroa, to be the sole presidential candidate, in order to avoid political campaigning in the volatile political atmosphere. Nevertheless, Ibáñez's closest adviser, leftist José Santos Salas, later declared his presidential candidacy, and many suspected it was with Ibáñez's backing.