Leonardo Arguello Barreto
Encyclopedia
Leonardo Argüello Barreto (29 August 1875 – 15 December 1947) was a Nicaragua
n politician who, after several attempts, became the President of Nicaragua
in 1947. He served from 1 May to 27 May 1947.
A member of the Nationalist Liberal Party
, his presidency was cut short by a Coup d'état
orchestrated by the Commander of the National Guard, General Anastasio Somoza García
, the true ruler of the country.
. Working as a doctor in Leon, he entered Liberal Party politics in 1912. He participated in the Constitutionalist War of 1926. He served as President of the National Congress, and as Minister of Public Education, Interior and Foreign Affairs.
He was also a writer and diplomat. In the elections of 1936, he ran for president and lost to General Somoza. To the surprise of many, Somoza proposed that Argüello should be the candidate for the Liberal Party in the elections of 1947, and did not run for president himself. The elections were widely believed to be rigged, and one of the conditions for Argüello’s victory was the maintenance of Somoza as of Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard.
I will not be, by the way, a simple figurehead.
From that day on, disputes arose between doctor Argüello and Gen. Somoza. The excesses of the National Guard were denounced for the first time. The government published a list of the properties acquired by Somoza during his presidency. There were even rumours that president Argüello, without taking into account the National Commander of the guard, had attempted to ally with factions of the military who were dissatisfied with Somoza, in particular with the young Aguirre Baca brothers, Francisco and Horacio. These acts infuriated Somoza, who hoped to have the absolute control of the country.
, a puppet of Somoza, to succeed Argüello.
Arguello fled to the Embassy of Mexico
, after less than 4 weeks into his mandate. He remained there 6 months, until finally moving to Mexico without resigning the position of President of the Republic. The Aguirre Baca bothers, from their part, took up diplomatic refuge at the Embassy of Panama, and fled to that country, before finally moving to, and settling in to the United States.
President Arguello died of an illness shortly after arriving in Mexico City
on 15 December 1947. He is buried in Mexico City.
He was a cousin of María Argüello Manning, wife of Juan Bautista Sacasa Sacasa, 63rd President of Nicaragua.
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
n politician who, after several attempts, became the President of Nicaragua
President of Nicaragua
The position of President of Nicaragua was created in the Constitution of 1854. From 1825 until the Constitution of 1838 the title of the position was known as Head of State and from 1838 to 1854 as Supreme Director .-Heads of State of Nicaragua within the Federal Republic of Central America...
in 1947. He served from 1 May to 27 May 1947.
A member of the Nationalist Liberal Party
Nationalist Liberal Party
The Nationalist Liberal Party is a centre-right political party in Nicaragua. It was established by Anastasio Somoza García in the 1930s. When it was formed, it drew its members mainly from factions within the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party....
, his presidency was cut short by a Coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
orchestrated by the Commander of the National Guard, General Anastasio Somoza García
Anastasio Somoza García
Anastasio Somoza García was officially the President of Nicaragua from 1 January 1937 to 1 May 1947 and from 21 May 1950 to 29 September 1956, but ruled effectively as dictator from 1936 until his assassination.-Biography:Somoza was born in San Marcos, Carazo Department in Nicaragua, the son of...
, the true ruler of the country.
Life and political race
Leonardo Argüello was born in León, NicaraguaLeón, Nicaragua
León is a department in northwestern Nicaragua . It is also the second largest city in Nicaragua, after Managua. It was founded by the Spaniards as Santiago de los Caballeros de León and rivals Granada, Nicaragua, in the number of historic Spanish colonial homes and churches...
. Working as a doctor in Leon, he entered Liberal Party politics in 1912. He participated in the Constitutionalist War of 1926. He served as President of the National Congress, and as Minister of Public Education, Interior and Foreign Affairs.
He was also a writer and diplomat. In the elections of 1936, he ran for president and lost to General Somoza. To the surprise of many, Somoza proposed that Argüello should be the candidate for the Liberal Party in the elections of 1947, and did not run for president himself. The elections were widely believed to be rigged, and one of the conditions for Argüello’s victory was the maintenance of Somoza as of Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard.
Presidency of the Republic
On 1 May 1947, during his inauguration before the Congress of the Republic, Argüello made a speech in opposition to the wishes of Gen. Somoza. In a part of his message he said:I will not be, by the way, a simple figurehead.
From that day on, disputes arose between doctor Argüello and Gen. Somoza. The excesses of the National Guard were denounced for the first time. The government published a list of the properties acquired by Somoza during his presidency. There were even rumours that president Argüello, without taking into account the National Commander of the guard, had attempted to ally with factions of the military who were dissatisfied with Somoza, in particular with the young Aguirre Baca brothers, Francisco and Horacio. These acts infuriated Somoza, who hoped to have the absolute control of the country.
Exile and coup d'état
On 26 May 1947 general Somoza led a coup d'état against the government, accusing it of conspiring to remove him as commander of the National Guard. The Congress declared that Argüello was unable to govern and removed him of the position, accusing him of attempting to undermine army discipline. The Assembly nominated Benjamín LacayoBenjamín Lacayo Sacasa
Benjamín Lacayo Sacasa was the President of Nicaragua from 27 May to 15 August 1947.He was a relative of Silvestre Selva, 17th President of Nicaragua, Roberto Sacasa, 44th and 46th President, and his son Juan Bautista Sacasa, 63rd President, as well as a cousin of Roberto Martínez Lacayo, 74th and...
, a puppet of Somoza, to succeed Argüello.
Arguello fled to the Embassy of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, after less than 4 weeks into his mandate. He remained there 6 months, until finally moving to Mexico without resigning the position of President of the Republic. The Aguirre Baca bothers, from their part, took up diplomatic refuge at the Embassy of Panama, and fled to that country, before finally moving to, and settling in to the United States.
President Arguello died of an illness shortly after arriving in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
on 15 December 1947. He is buried in Mexico City.
He was a cousin of María Argüello Manning, wife of Juan Bautista Sacasa Sacasa, 63rd President of Nicaragua.