Isaías Medina Angarita
Encyclopedia
Isaías Medina Angarita (6 July 1897 in San Cristóbal, Venezuela – 15 September 1953 in Caracas
) was a Venezuelan military and political leader, president of Venezuela from 1941 until 1945.
Medina followed the path of his predecessor Eleazar López Contreras
, and ruled the country's democratic transition process. He founded the Venezuelan Democratic Party
in 1943. However, some in the Army considered him too liberal while other political enemies accused him of being too conservative, and both sides produced a putsch on 18 October 1945.
general José Rosendo Medina and Alejandrina Angarita García. He went to primary and secondary school in his native city and at the age of 15 transferred to Caracas
to register in the Military academy on 9 March 1912. He graduated with the rank of second lieutenant on 23 July 1914. That same year he directed the third squad of the third company and the Manuel Piar second battalion of the infantry regiment.
Later, on February, 1919 he returns to the Military Academy as commander of a company of cadets and as professor of this institution. He was made a lieutenant colonel on 15 January 1927, and also becomes professor of Spanish in the Officer Training School and of physical education in the Federal Schools of Caracas, the Men's Normal School and the grammar school Andrés Bello.
These educational positions helped him to relate with other professors and students and to absorb new ideas and new political tendencies. He even came to support the autonomy of the university. Later, he becomes associated with the Athens Group and the Club of the Seven, two intellectual clubs. However, he also becomes head of the Military Directorate of the War and Navy Ministry, where he initiated his friendship with Eleazar López Contreras
. In 1930 he became a member of the Commission for the regulation of the military and the navy, was designated in 1931 temporary assistant of the Headquarters of the General Staff and from 15 July 1931, was head of the Cabinet and secretary of the War and Navy Ministry, a position that he held until 12 July 1935. Promoted to colonel rank, he is named by executive decree minister of War on 1 March 1936 and Brigadier general on 5 July 1940.
. In 30 April 1941, he married Irma Felizola, and on 5 May he assumed the Presidency of the Republic. At the time, Venezuela had 3.870.771 inhabitants and Caracas 269,000, and a national budget of Bs. 300.000.000. Medina Angarita as president was a military man who respected human rights and freedom of expression, allowed the free activity of the political parties, promoted constitutional reforms which granted for the first time the vote to women, instituted the direct election of deputies and allowed the legalization of the Venezuelan Communist Party. However, he failed to implement universal, direct and secret suffrage, which was one of the main complaints used to justify his overthrow on 18 October 1945. He was arrested and expelled from the country.
On 8 May 1952, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, and was hospitalized at the Doctor's Hospital of New York, where he was in exile. He was allowed to return to Caracas
by the government, but he then suffered an abdominal aneurysm, and died on 15 September 1953.
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
) was a Venezuelan military and political leader, president of Venezuela from 1941 until 1945.
Medina followed the path of his predecessor Eleazar López Contreras
Eleazar López Contreras
José Eleazar López Contreras was President of Venezuela . López was a general and one of Juan Vicente Gómez's collaborators.Eleazar López was the only child of Col. Manuel Maria López and Catalina Contreras...
, and ruled the country's democratic transition process. He founded the Venezuelan Democratic Party
Venezuelan Democratic Party
Venezuelan Democratic Party was a political party in Venezuela. It was launched in September 1943 by President Isaías Medina Angarita to organize supporters of the government. Its dominant role in the political system ended with the 1945 democratic revolution of Rómulo Betancourt....
in 1943. However, some in the Army considered him too liberal while other political enemies accused him of being too conservative, and both sides produced a putsch on 18 October 1945.
Early life and career
He was the son of the corianoSanta Ana de Coro
Coro is the capital of Falcón State and the oldest city in the west of Venezuela.-History:The city was founded on July 26, 1527 by Spanish colonists. The name "Coro" is believed to be an indigenous word meaning "wind".The city had a turbulent history in colonial times and suffered a number of...
general José Rosendo Medina and Alejandrina Angarita García. He went to primary and secondary school in his native city and at the age of 15 transferred to Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
to register in the Military academy on 9 March 1912. He graduated with the rank of second lieutenant on 23 July 1914. That same year he directed the third squad of the third company and the Manuel Piar second battalion of the infantry regiment.
Later, on February, 1919 he returns to the Military Academy as commander of a company of cadets and as professor of this institution. He was made a lieutenant colonel on 15 January 1927, and also becomes professor of Spanish in the Officer Training School and of physical education in the Federal Schools of Caracas, the Men's Normal School and the grammar school Andrés Bello.
These educational positions helped him to relate with other professors and students and to absorb new ideas and new political tendencies. He even came to support the autonomy of the university. Later, he becomes associated with the Athens Group and the Club of the Seven, two intellectual clubs. However, he also becomes head of the Military Directorate of the War and Navy Ministry, where he initiated his friendship with Eleazar López Contreras
Eleazar López Contreras
José Eleazar López Contreras was President of Venezuela . López was a general and one of Juan Vicente Gómez's collaborators.Eleazar López was the only child of Col. Manuel Maria López and Catalina Contreras...
. In 1930 he became a member of the Commission for the regulation of the military and the navy, was designated in 1931 temporary assistant of the Headquarters of the General Staff and from 15 July 1931, was head of the Cabinet and secretary of the War and Navy Ministry, a position that he held until 12 July 1935. Promoted to colonel rank, he is named by executive decree minister of War on 1 March 1936 and Brigadier general on 5 July 1940.
Presidency and last years
In the elections conducted by the National Congress on 28 April 1941, Medina Angarita was elected president with 120 votes, against 13 obtained by his closest opponent, Rómulo GallegosRómulo Gallegos
Rómulo Ángel del Monte Carmelo Gallegos Freire was a Venezuelan novelist and politician. For a period of some nine months during 1948, he was the first cleanly elected president in his country's history....
. In 30 April 1941, he married Irma Felizola, and on 5 May he assumed the Presidency of the Republic. At the time, Venezuela had 3.870.771 inhabitants and Caracas 269,000, and a national budget of Bs. 300.000.000. Medina Angarita as president was a military man who respected human rights and freedom of expression, allowed the free activity of the political parties, promoted constitutional reforms which granted for the first time the vote to women, instituted the direct election of deputies and allowed the legalization of the Venezuelan Communist Party. However, he failed to implement universal, direct and secret suffrage, which was one of the main complaints used to justify his overthrow on 18 October 1945. He was arrested and expelled from the country.
On 8 May 1952, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, and was hospitalized at the Doctor's Hospital of New York, where he was in exile. He was allowed to return to Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
by the government, but he then suffered an abdominal aneurysm, and died on 15 September 1953.
Medina's cabinet (1941-1945)
| Ministries | ||
|---|---|---|
| OFFICE | NAME | TERM |
| President | Isaías Medina Angarita | 1941–1945 |
| Home Affairs | Tulio Chiossone | 1941–1942 |
| César González | 1942–1943 | |
| Juan Penzini Hernández | 1943 | |
| José Nicomedes Rivas | 1943–1945 | |
| Arturo Uslar Pietri Arturo Uslar Pietri Arturo Uslar Pietri , was a Venezuelan intellectual, lawyer, journalist, writer, television producer and politician.- Life :... |
1945 | |
| Outer Relations | Caracciolo Parra Pérez | 1941–1945 |
| Gustavo Herrera Gustavo Herrera Gustavo Herrera Grau , was a Venezuelan lawyer and diplomat. Being born in 1890, were his parents Aureliano Hernandez Irigoyen and Dolores Grau Duarte, studied primary in the German Catholic School of Caracas administrated by teachers Luis Ezpelosín and Agustin Aveledo, in 1916 graduates as Doctor... |
1945 | |
| Finance | Alfredo Machado Hernández | 1941–1943 |
| Arturo Uslar Pietri | 1943 | |
| Rodolfo Rojas | 1943–1945 | |
| Alfonso Espinoza | 1945 | |
| War and Navy | Antonio Chalbaud Cardona | 1941–1942 |
| Juan de Dios Celis Paredes | 1942–1943 | |
| Carlos Meyer | 1943 | |
| Manuel Morán | 1943–1945 | |
| Delfín Becerra | 1945 | |
| Development | Enrique Jorge Aguerrevere | 1941–1942 |
| Eugenio Mendoza | 1942–1943 | |
| Gustavo Herrera | 1943–1945 | |
| Juan de Dios Celis Paredes | 1945 | |
| Public Works | Manuel Silveira | 1941–1945 |
| Education | Alejandro Fuenmayor | 1941 |
| Gustavo Herrera | 1941–1943 | |
| Rafael Vegas | 1943–1945 | |
| Work and Communications | Numa Quevedo | 1941 |
| Ovidio Pérez Ágreda | 1941–1942 | |
| Héctor Cuenca | 1942–1943 | |
| Julio Diez | 1943–1945 | |
| Agriculture | Severio Barbarito | 1941 |
| Rodolfo Rojas | 1941–1943 | |
| Ángel Biagini | 1943–1945 | |
| Health and Social Assistance | Félix Lairet | 1941–1945 |
| Secretary of the Presidency | Arturo Uslar Pietri | 1941–1943 |
| Ángel Biagini | 1943 | |
| Arturo Uslar Pietri | 1943 | |
| Pedro Sotillo | 1943–1945 | |