Luis Somoza Debayle
Encyclopedia
Luis Anastasio Somoza Debayle (18 November 1922 13 April 1967) was the President of Nicaragua
from 29 September 1956 to 1 May 1963, but was effectively dictator
of the country from 1956 until his death. He was born in León
.
Luis was educated at LSU. Following the assassination
of his father, Anastasio Somoza García
, Luis was tapped as acting president and was elected president in his own right later that year. His rule was somewhat milder than that of his father. However, civil liberties remained restricted and corruption remained widespread.
His brother, Anastasio Somoza Debayle
, headed the National Guard and was the second most powerful man in the country during his older brother's rule. Although Luis declined to run for reelection in 1963, he and Anastasio saw to it that the presidency was held from 1963 onward by politicians loyal to the Somozas. As a result, Luis remained the real power in Nicaragua until his death in 1967 from a massive heart attack
at the age of 45 in Managua
.
Under Luis Somoza's regime, Nicaragua was a key player in the ushering of the creation of the Central American Common Market, with the Alliance for Progress
backing that common market's creation. During the Bay of Pigs Invasion
, he allowed the CIA-trained Cuba
n rebels to embark from Puerto Cabezas
, on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast. The Sandinistas began their struggle against the government in 1963--a struggle that would topple his brother in 1979.
He died in Managua
and is entombed at Cementerio Occidental with his father in the National Guard Mausoleum in Managua, Nicaragua.
He was a member of Fi Sigma Alfa Fraternity.
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...
from 29 September 1956 to 1 May 1963, but was effectively dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
of the country from 1956 until his death. He was born in León
León, 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...
.
Luis was educated at LSU. Following the assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
of his father, 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...
, Luis was tapped as acting president and was elected president in his own right later that year. His rule was somewhat milder than that of his father. However, civil liberties remained restricted and corruption remained widespread.
His brother, Anastasio Somoza Debayle
Anastasio Somoza Debayle
Anastasio Somoza Debayle was a Nicaraguan leader and officially the 73rd and 76th President of Nicaragua from 1 May 1967 to 1 May 1972 and from 1 December 1974 to 17 July 1979. As head of the National Guard, he was de facto ruler of the country from 1967 to 1979...
, headed the National Guard and was the second most powerful man in the country during his older brother's rule. Although Luis declined to run for reelection in 1963, he and Anastasio saw to it that the presidency was held from 1963 onward by politicians loyal to the Somozas. As a result, Luis remained the real power in Nicaragua until his death in 1967 from a massive heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at the age of 45 in Managua
Managua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua as well as the department and municipality by the same name. It is the largest city in Nicaragua in terms of population and geographic size. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Xolotlán or Lake Managua, the city was declared the national capital in...
.
Under Luis Somoza's regime, Nicaragua was a key player in the ushering of the creation of the Central American Common Market, with the Alliance for Progress
Alliance for Progress
The Alliance for Progress initiated by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1961 aimed to establish economic cooperation between the U.S. and South America.-Origin and goals:...
backing that common market's creation. During the Bay of Pigs Invasion
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
, he allowed the CIA-trained Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n rebels to embark from Puerto Cabezas
Puerto Cabezas
Puerto Cabezas is a municipality in, and capital of, the North Atlantic Coast department of Nicaragua....
, on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast. The Sandinistas began their struggle against the government in 1963--a struggle that would topple his brother in 1979.
He died in Managua
Managua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua as well as the department and municipality by the same name. It is the largest city in Nicaragua in terms of population and geographic size. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Xolotlán or Lake Managua, the city was declared the national capital in...
and is entombed at Cementerio Occidental with his father in the National Guard Mausoleum in Managua, Nicaragua.
He was a member of Fi Sigma Alfa Fraternity.