Gabriel Terra

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Dr. Gabriel Terra, (1873–1942) was the President of Uruguay from 1931 to 1938.

1 Background
2 President of Uruguay
3 See also
4 Reference
5 External links

[edit] Background

Born in Montevideo to a wealthy family, he graduated from the University of Uruguay in 1895, and subsequently joined the faculty.

He began his career as a member of the Colorado Party under his predecessor as president, José Batlle y Ordóñez in a number of government roles. From 1925 he was the minister for Industry and Employment.

His nephew Horacio Terra Arocena served as a Senator ^[1].

[edit] President of Uruguay

After being selected to lead the country by the congress in 1930, he came to power in 1931. He suspended the congress in 1933, disbanded the special body set up by the constitution in 1919 to provide checks and balances. This was soon followed by the total abolition of the constitution, and the merger of state powers with the presidency. He produced a new constitution in 1934 and he put himself up for election, and was elected under a shroud of suspicion.

Terra predominantly ruled harshly and by diktat, put in jail university professionals, or isolated them on an island, “Isla de Flores” his political opponents, but continuing most of the socialist reforms begun by his predecessor. He brutally suppressed a revolt against him in 1935.

Terra's interior minister was Alberto Demichelli, who much later was himself to become President of Uruguay as an interim measure in 1976. Demichelli's wife, Sofía Álvarez Vignoli de Demichelli, was noted for her diplomatic activity during Terra's Presidency.

Terra's Vice President was César Charlone, who served from 1934 to 1938.

He broke off relations with the USSR and the Spanish Republic, while he met Roosevelt and Britain regarding his debts to them. Later he made a close friendship with Hitler and Mussolini who lent him a loan with no return to construct the “Rincón del Bonete Hydro Dam and Power Plant”