Gabriel Terra
| Gabriel Terra | |
|---|---|
Gabriel Terra in 1913.
|
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| President of Uruguay | |
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In office 1 March 1931 – 19 June 1938 |
|
| Prime Minister |
Juan Pedro Fabini Antonio Rubio |
| Vice President | César Charlone |
| Preceded by | Juan Campisteguy |
| Succeeded by | Alfredo Baldomir |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 1, 1873 Uruguay
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| Died | September 15, 1942 (aged 69) Uruguay, Montevideo
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| Nationality | Uruguayan |
| Political party | Colorado Party |
| Spouse(s) | María Marcelina Ilarraz Miranda |
| Alma mater | Universidad de la República |
| Occupation | Politician, lawyer |
Dr. Gabriel Terra Leivas (August 1, 1873 – September 15, 1942) was the President of Uruguay from 1931 to 1938.
Born in Montevideo to a wealthy family, he graduated from the University 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. His great-nephew Juan Pablo Terra served as a Deputy and a Senator.
After being selected to lead the country by the congress in 1930, he came to power in 1931. On March 1, 1931 he assumed the Presidency of the Republic for the period 1931-1938. From the beginning, he opposed the Constitution of 1918. On March 31, 1933, with the support of the police, (led by his brother, Alfredo Baldomir) the Army, and the majority sector of the National Party (led by Luis Alberto de Herrera) he brought about a coup d'etat. The Parliament was dissolved, and he disbanded the National Council of Administration, a special body set up in 1919 to provide checks and balances. This was soon followed by the total abolition of the constitution, the censorship of the press, and the merger of state powers with the presidency. He set up a government of conservative, authoritarian and illiberal character, in opposition to Batllismo and to the left. He produced a new constitution in 1934 and he put himself up for election, and was elected under a shroud of suspicion.The period opened by the coup is called the Terra Dictatorship.
Particularly after 1933, Terra was tellingly closer politically to his nominal National Party (Uruguay) opponent Dr. Luis Alberto de Herrera than he was to many of his Colorado Party (Uruguay) colleagues. Terra predominantly ruled harshly and by diktat, but continued most of the socialist reforms begun by his predecessor.
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