Pedro Lascuráin
Encyclopedia
Pedro José Domingo de la Calzada Manuel María Lascuráin Paredes (born May 8, 1856 in Mexico City
; died July 21, 1952 in Mexico City) was both Mexico
's and the world's briefest-ever serving president.
He served as Mexico's foreign minister for two terms and was the director of a small law school in Mexico City for sixteen years.
. As foreign minister, he had to deal with the demands of U.S. Ambassador
Henry Lane Wilson
.
overthrew President Madero. Lascuráin was one of the people who convinced Madero to resign the presidency while he was being held prisoner in the National Palace, claiming that his life was in danger if he refused.
Under the constitution, the vice-president, the attorney general, the foreign minister and then the interior minister stood next in line to the presidency. As well as Madero, Huerta had ousted Vice-President José María Pino Suárez
and Attorney General Adolfo Valles Baca, so, to give the coup d'état some appearance of legality, he had Lascuráin, as foreign minister, assume the presidency, appoint him as his interior ministermaking Huerta next in line to the presidencyand then resign. The presidency thus passed to Huerta. As a consequence, Lascuráin was president for less than an hour; sources quote figures ranging from 15 to 55 minutes. To date, Lascuráin's presidency is the shortest in history, briefer than that of Venezuela
n politician Diosdado Cabello
in 2002.
Huerta called a late-night special session of Congress and, under the guns of his troops, the legislators endorsed his assumption of power. A few days later, Huerta had Madero and Suárez killed. The coup and the events surrounding it became known as la decena trágica
("the tragic ten days").
, a conservative law school, for sixteen years and published extensively on commercial and civil law.
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...
; died July 21, 1952 in Mexico City) was both 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...
's and the world's briefest-ever serving president.
He served as Mexico's foreign minister for two terms and was the director of a small law school in Mexico City for sixteen years.
Early career
Lascuráin received a law degree in 1880 from the Escuela Nacional de Jurisprudencia in Mexico City. He was mayor of Mexico City in 1910 when Madero began his antireelectionist campaign against Díaz. Lascuráin was a supporter of Madero and after Madero was elected president to replace Díaz, Lascuráin served twice as foreign secretary in Madero's cabinet (April 10, 1912 to December 4, 1912 and January 15, 1913 to February 18, 1913). In between the two terms, he again became mayor of Mexico CityMexico 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...
. As foreign minister, he had to deal with the demands of U.S. Ambassador
United States Ambassador to Mexico
The United States has maintained diplomatic relations with Mexico since 1823, when Andrew Jackson was appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to that country. Jackson declined the appointment, however, and Joel R. Poinsett became the first U.S. envoy to Mexico in 1825. The rank...
Henry Lane Wilson
Henry Lane Wilson
Henry Lane Wilson was an American diplomat.-Biography:He was born in Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana to Indiana congressman James Wilson and his wife, Emma Wilson; he was the younger brother of John L. Wilson, and had been named for Henry Smith Lane...
.
Presidency
On February 18, 1913, General Victoriano HuertaVictoriano Huerta
José Victoriano Huerta Márquez was a Mexican military officer and president of Mexico. Huerta's supporters were known as Huertistas during the Mexican Revolution...
overthrew President Madero. Lascuráin was one of the people who convinced Madero to resign the presidency while he was being held prisoner in the National Palace, claiming that his life was in danger if he refused.
Under the constitution, the vice-president, the attorney general, the foreign minister and then the interior minister stood next in line to the presidency. As well as Madero, Huerta had ousted Vice-President José María Pino Suárez
José María Pino Suárez
José María Pino Suárez was a Mexican statesman, revolutionary, poet, journalist and jurist who served as Vice President of Mexico , Secreatry of Education and Governor of Yucatán...
and Attorney General Adolfo Valles Baca, so, to give the coup d'état some appearance of legality, he had Lascuráin, as foreign minister, assume the presidency, appoint him as his interior ministermaking Huerta next in line to the presidencyand then resign. The presidency thus passed to Huerta. As a consequence, Lascuráin was president for less than an hour; sources quote figures ranging from 15 to 55 minutes. To date, Lascuráin's presidency is the shortest in history, briefer than that of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n politician Diosdado Cabello
Diosdado Cabello
Diosdado Cabello Rondón is a Venezuelan politician. A former member of the armed forces, he was involved in Hugo Chávez's February 1992 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt. He became a leading member of Chavez's Movimiento V República , and remains a leading member of the United Socialist Party of...
in 2002.
Huerta called a late-night special session of Congress and, under the guns of his troops, the legislators endorsed his assumption of power. A few days later, Huerta had Madero and Suárez killed. The coup and the events surrounding it became known as la decena trágica
La decena trágica
The Ten Tragic Days was a series of events that took place in Mexico City between February 9 and February 19, 1913, during the Mexican Revolution. They culminated in a coup d'état and the assassination of President Francisco I...
("the tragic ten days").
Later life
Huerta offered Lascuráin a post in his cabinet, but Lascuráin declined. He retired from politics and began practicing again as a lawyer. He was the director of the Escuela Libre de DerechoEscuela Libre de Derecho
Escuela Libre de Derecho is a prestigious law school in Mexico. Founded in 1912, it has among its alumni some of the most distinguished Mexican attorneys...
, a conservative law school, for sixteen years and published extensively on commercial and civil law.