Carlos Ramírez MacGregor
Encyclopedia
Carlos Ramírez MacGregor (Maracaibo
, Zulia state, 3 March 1903-Caracas
, 15 March 1975) was a Venezuelan lawyer, politician, newspaperman, and diplomat. He obtained a doctorate in law at the University of Madrid, Spain.
When he returned to his country, Venezuela was still being ruled by the dictator Juan Vicente Gómez
. When Gomez died, he was named labor inspector for Zulia state, center of the oil industry, by the government of Eleazar López Contreras
. As such, he prepared a report on working conditions that was influential in the substantial betterment of workers’ living conditions by the government and the oil companies.
He was congressman seven times spanning a period of over three decades. During his first nomination to Congress, he distinguished himself by defending the economic interests of his state at the time when imports from the USA were restricted because of World War II.
Together with politicians such as Alfredo Tarre Murzi and Arturo Uslar Pietri
, he was one of the founders of the Partido Democratico Venezolano (PDV), created to support the administration of president Isaias Medina Angarita
. When this government was overthrown in the Revolution of October 1945, Ramírez MacGregor was briefly jailed by the junta, formed by Accion Democratica party (AD) and military officers, that ruled the country until 1948.
In 1949, Ramírez MacGregor became director of the Maracaibo daily Panorama, a position he held until 1965. He was honored in 1953 with the Maria Moors Cabot prize
for Latin American journalists sponsored by the University of Columbia, New York. He also directed the Caracas weekly Momento from 1958 to 1973. In both positions he was a prolific writer of articles on social and political issues. He opposed the dictatorship of Gen. Marcos Pérez Jiménez
and he exiled himself starting in 1955.
When democracy was restored to Venezuela in 1958, Ramírez MacGregor returned to politics, but finally resigned to active participation when he refused to back the candidacy of the AD leader Carlos Andrés Pérez
. Ramírez MacGregor was ambassador to Belgium, México, Italy, and the UN organisms in Geneva.
Ramírez MacGregor wrote Aspectos de nuestro problema obrero (1937), on labor issues, and Reglamentación del trabajo en el campo (1940), in which he was pioneer advocate of extending labor legislation to farm workers.
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
, Zulia state, 3 March 1903-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...
, 15 March 1975) was a Venezuelan lawyer, politician, newspaperman, and diplomat. He obtained a doctorate in law at the University of Madrid, Spain.
When he returned to his country, Venezuela was still being ruled by the dictator Juan Vicente Gómez
Juan Vicente Gómez
Juan Vicente Gómez Chacón was a military general and de facto ruler of Venezuela from 1908 until his death in 1935. He was president on three occasions during this time, and ruled as an unelected military strongman for the rest of the era.-Early years:Gómez was a barely literate cattle herder and...
. When Gomez died, he was named labor inspector for Zulia state, center of the oil industry, by the government of 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...
. As such, he prepared a report on working conditions that was influential in the substantial betterment of workers’ living conditions by the government and the oil companies.
He was congressman seven times spanning a period of over three decades. During his first nomination to Congress, he distinguished himself by defending the economic interests of his state at the time when imports from the USA were restricted because of World War II.
Together with politicians such as Alfredo Tarre Murzi and Arturo Uslar Pietri
Arturo Uslar Pietri
Arturo Uslar Pietri , was a Venezuelan intellectual, lawyer, journalist, writer, television producer and politician.- Life :...
, he was one of the founders of the Partido Democratico Venezolano (PDV), created to support the administration of president Isaias Medina Angarita
Isaías Medina Angarita
Isaías Medina Angarita was a Venezuelan military and political leader, president of Venezuela from 1941 until 1945....
. When this government was overthrown in the Revolution of October 1945, Ramírez MacGregor was briefly jailed by the junta, formed by Accion Democratica party (AD) and military officers, that ruled the country until 1948.
In 1949, Ramírez MacGregor became director of the Maracaibo daily Panorama, a position he held until 1965. He was honored in 1953 with the Maria Moors Cabot prize
Maria Moors Cabot prize
The Maria Moors Cabot Prizes are the oldest international awards in the field of journalism. They pick what the Trustees of Columbia University see as journalistic contributions to inter-American understanding.-Award:...
for Latin American journalists sponsored by the University of Columbia, New York. He also directed the Caracas weekly Momento from 1958 to 1973. In both positions he was a prolific writer of articles on social and political issues. He opposed the dictatorship of Gen. Marcos Pérez Jiménez
Marcos Pérez Jiménez
Marcos Evangelista Pérez Jiménez was a soldier and Presidents of Venezuela from 1952 to 1958.-Career:Marcos Evangelista Pérez Jiménez was born in Michelena, Táchira State. His father, Juan Pérez Bustamante, was a farmer; his mother, Adela Jiménez, a schoolteacher...
and he exiled himself starting in 1955.
When democracy was restored to Venezuela in 1958, Ramírez MacGregor returned to politics, but finally resigned to active participation when he refused to back the candidacy of the AD leader Carlos Andrés Pérez
Carlos Andrés Pérez
Carlos Andrés Pérez Rodríguez , also known as CAP and often referred to as El Gocho , was a Venezuelan politician, President of Venezuela from 1974 to 1979 and again from 1989 to 1993. His first presidency was known as the Saudi Venezuela due to its economic and social prosperity thanks to...
. Ramírez MacGregor was ambassador to Belgium, México, Italy, and the UN organisms in Geneva.
Ramírez MacGregor wrote Aspectos de nuestro problema obrero (1937), on labor issues, and Reglamentación del trabajo en el campo (1940), in which he was pioneer advocate of extending labor legislation to farm workers.
Sources
- Panorama, Maracaibo (collection 1949–1956)
- Momento, Caracas (collection 1958–1963)