Carlos Washington Lencinas
Encyclopedia
Carlos Washington Lencinas (November 13, 1888 - November 10, 1929) was an Argentine politician.
, in 1888, to Fidela Peacock and José Néstor Lencinas
. The elder Lencinas was a Mendoza Province
lawmaker known for his tempestuous political rights advocacy. Carlos Lencinas enrolled at the National University of Córdoba
, and upon earning a Law Degree, returned to Mendoza and joined his father as a local leader of the Radical Civic Union
(UCR). He was elected to the Lower House of Congress
alongside his father in 1916.
His father's progressive
social and economic policies endeared him to the then-agrarian province's sizable population of tenant farmer
s and peon
s, many of which were victims of debt bondage
. They also made enemies of the province's landowing elite, however, as well as of the reformist President Hipólito Yrigoyen
, who sought the latter group's support, and had Lencinas removed as governor in late 1919. His father's death in 1920 made Congressman Lencinas a staunch opponent of President Yrigoyen, though without leaving the UCR. He, instead, became the leader of the "Situationist" UCR, one of a number of dissident UCR factions that arose on the heels of President Yrigoyen's numerous decrees removing governors and other lawmakers.
Lencinas was elected Governor of Mendoza in 1922, upon which his ticket became known as the "Lencinist" UCR. He focused public works spending on social infrastructure, notably the José Néstor Lencinas Hospital (inaugurated as a tuberculosis
hospital). Restoring much of the suspended labor and social legislation signed by his father in 1919, Governor Lencinas fell out of step with the increasingly conservative UCR leadership, and was removed in 1924 by order of President Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear
.
Maintaining a considerable following, he was elected to the Argentine Senate
in 1928. As had occurred on numerous occasions in prior years, the Senate chose to exercise its prerogative allowing the body to refuse to seat any Senator-elect deemed "unfit to serve." Lencinas defended himself during lengthy hearings; but was ultimately refused his seat by a combination of UCR and Conservative votes.
He returned on November 10, 1929, to Mendoza with plans to rally support for his admittance into the Senate. Reportedly warned of a possible attempt on his life, Lencinas wrote to President Yrigoyen a letter in which he both requested protection, and made him responsible for anything untoward that might befall him; as he emerged onto a downtown Mendoza balcony to address supporters, Carlos Washington Lencinas was shot in the heart by an unknown assailant.
The nature of Lencinas' assassination, and that it remained an unsolved mystery, prompted a number of hypotheses in the subsequent decades, including speculation that he may have killed over a love triangle
, or that his assassination may have orchestrated by President Yrigoyen's Mendoza supporters. A historical inquiry concluded in 2004 found that, in fact, credible evidence existed to support the hypothesis of a political conspiracy; whether such a plot was organized by Yrigoyen's supporters, by reactionary landowners, or by others, remained indeterminable.
Life and times
Carlos Washington Lencinas was born in Rivadavia Department, MendozaRivadavia Department, Mendoza
Rivadavia is a central department of Mendoza Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 52,500 inhabitants in an area of 2,141km², and its capital city is Rivadavia, which is located around 1,075km from Capital Federal....
, in 1888, to Fidela Peacock and José Néstor Lencinas
José Néstor Lencinas
José Néstor Lencinas was an Argentine politician and former Governor of Mendoza Province.-Life and times:...
. The elder Lencinas was a Mendoza Province
Mendoza Province
The Province of Mendoza is a province of Argentina, located in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders to the north with San Juan, the south with La Pampa and Neuquén, the east with San Luis, and to the west with the republic of Chile; the international limit is...
lawmaker known for his tempestuous political rights advocacy. Carlos Lencinas enrolled at the National University of Córdoba
National University of Córdoba
The National University of Córdoba, , is the oldest university in Argentina, and one of the oldest in the Americas. It is located in Córdoba, the capital of Córdoba Province. Since the early 20th century it has been the second largest university in the country in terms of the number of students,...
, and upon earning a Law Degree, returned to Mendoza and joined his father as a local leader of the Radical Civic Union
Radical Civic Union
The Radical Civic Union is a political party in Argentina. The party's positions on issues range from liberal to social democratic. The UCR is a member of the Socialist International. Founded in 1891 by radical liberals, it is the oldest political party active in Argentina...
(UCR). He was elected to the Lower House of Congress
Argentine Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
alongside his father in 1916.
His father's progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
social and economic policies endeared him to the then-agrarian province's sizable population of tenant farmer
Tenant farmer
A tenant farmer is one who resides on and farms land owned by a landlord. Tenant farming is an agricultural production system in which landowners contribute their land and often a measure of operating capital and management; while tenant farmers contribute their labor along with at times varying...
s and peon
Peon
The words peon and peonage are derived from the Spanish peón . It has a range of meanings but its primary usage is to describe laborers with little control over their employment conditions.-English usage:...
s, many of which were victims of debt bondage
Debt bondage
Debt bondage is when a person pledges him or herself against a loan. In debt bondage, the services required to repay the debt may be undefined, and the services' duration may be undefined...
. They also made enemies of the province's landowing elite, however, as well as of the reformist President Hipólito Yrigoyen
Hipólito Yrigoyen
Juan Hipólito del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Irigoyen Alem was twice President of Argentina . His activism became the prime impetus behind the obtainment of universal suffrage in Argentina in 1912...
, who sought the latter group's support, and had Lencinas removed as governor in late 1919. His father's death in 1920 made Congressman Lencinas a staunch opponent of President Yrigoyen, though without leaving the UCR. He, instead, became the leader of the "Situationist" UCR, one of a number of dissident UCR factions that arose on the heels of President Yrigoyen's numerous decrees removing governors and other lawmakers.
Lencinas was elected Governor of Mendoza in 1922, upon which his ticket became known as the "Lencinist" UCR. He focused public works spending on social infrastructure, notably the José Néstor Lencinas Hospital (inaugurated as a tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
hospital). Restoring much of the suspended labor and social legislation signed by his father in 1919, Governor Lencinas fell out of step with the increasingly conservative UCR leadership, and was removed in 1924 by order of President Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear
Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear
Máximo Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear Pacheco , better known as Marcelo T. de Alvear was an Argentine politician and President of Argentina from October 12, 1922 to October 12, 1928.-Biography:...
.
Maintaining a considerable following, he was elected to the Argentine Senate
Argentine Senate
The Argentine Senate is the upper house of the Argentine National Congress. It has 72 senators: three for each province and three for the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires...
in 1928. As had occurred on numerous occasions in prior years, the Senate chose to exercise its prerogative allowing the body to refuse to seat any Senator-elect deemed "unfit to serve." Lencinas defended himself during lengthy hearings; but was ultimately refused his seat by a combination of UCR and Conservative votes.
He returned on November 10, 1929, to Mendoza with plans to rally support for his admittance into the Senate. Reportedly warned of a possible attempt on his life, Lencinas wrote to President Yrigoyen a letter in which he both requested protection, and made him responsible for anything untoward that might befall him; as he emerged onto a downtown Mendoza balcony to address supporters, Carlos Washington Lencinas was shot in the heart by an unknown assailant.
The nature of Lencinas' assassination, and that it remained an unsolved mystery, prompted a number of hypotheses in the subsequent decades, including speculation that he may have killed over a love triangle
Love triangle
A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three people. While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third, it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two...
, or that his assassination may have orchestrated by President Yrigoyen's Mendoza supporters. A historical inquiry concluded in 2004 found that, in fact, credible evidence existed to support the hypothesis of a political conspiracy; whether such a plot was organized by Yrigoyen's supporters, by reactionary landowners, or by others, remained indeterminable.