Guzmán Blanco, Antonio

Guzmán Blanco, Antonio

▪ president of Venezuela
born Feb. 28, 1829, Caracas, Venez.
died July 20, 1899, Paris

      Venezuelan president and typical Latin American caudillo (military leader or dictator) of his era.

      Guzmán Blanco was the son of a famous journalist and politician, Antonio Leocadio Guzmán, who had married into the Blanco family of Caracas' upper class. He began his career by consolidating the support of provincial caudillos behind his leadership, increasing his power when he gained appointment as a special finance commissioner to negotiate loans with London bankers. In 1870 he seized control of the government as head of the Regeneración (Regeneration) movement, and in 1873 he had himself elected constitutional president. For a period of 19 years (1870–89) he was the absolute ruler of Venezuela.

      Guzmán Blanco brought Venezuela out of civil war and economic stagnation and put it on the road to orderly government and modern development. Public buildings, railroads, and schools were constructed, and Caracas was modernized to function as the centre of the new network of telegraph, ports, and roads. The dictator sponsored public education, restored public credit, subsidized agriculture, promoted international trade, and laid the groundwork for an era of significant technological advance. His most strenuous efforts, however, were directed against the Roman Catholic church: birth, education, and marriage were placed under civil supervision; religious communities were suppressed and their property confiscated; and religious freedom for non-Catholics was proclaimed.

      But Guzmán Blanco committed many brutalities during his dictatorship in order to eliminate opposition. Civil liberties were curbed, and the press was gagged. Little was done to improve the lot of the Venezuelan masses. Moreover, the dictator accumulated a personal fortune at public expense, profiting especially through the negotiation of loans with foreign bankers. He spent a great deal of his reign in Europe, enjoying the company of the upper classes. During one such visit a coup d'état ousted him from power (1889), and he spent the last decade of his life in Paris.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Guzmán Blanco — Guzmán Blanco, Antonio …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Guzmán Blanco, Antonio — ► (1829 99) Político, general y abogado venezolano. Fue presidente de la República en 1870 87. Reformó la economía, la enseñanza y promovió las obras públicas …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Antonio Guzman Blanco — Antonio Guzmán Blanco Antonio Guzmán Blanco (* 20. Februar 1829 in Caracas; † 28. Juli 1899 in Paris) war ein venezolanischer General und Politiker. Von 1870 bis 1877, von 1879 bis 1884 und von 1886 bis 1887 war er Präsident von Venezuela. Leben… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Antonio Guzmán Blanco — (* 20. Februar 1829 in Caracas; † 28. Juli 1899 in Paris) war ein venezolanischer General und Politiker. Von 1870 bis 1877, von 1879 bis 1884 und von 1886 bis 1887 war er Präsident von Venezuela. Leben Der Sohn des Politikers und Gründers des… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Guzmán Blanco [2] — Guzmán Blanco, Antonio, Präsident der Republik Venezuela, geb. 1830 in Carácas, gest. 28. Juli 1899 in Paris, Sohn des berühmten Statistikers Leocadio G., zeichnete sich schon als junger Mann als Journalist und liberaler Parteigänger aus. Während …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Guzmán Blanco — Guzmán Blanco, Antonio, Präsident von Venezuela, seit 1865 Vizepräsident, 1870 provisorischer, 1873 77, 1879 84 und Sept. 1886 bis Aug. 1887 wirklicher Präsident; gest. 28. Juli 1899 in Paris …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Antonio Guzmán Blanco — Este artículo o sección puede ser demasiado extenso(a). Algunos navegadores pueden tener dificultades al mostrar este artículo. Por favor, considera separar cada sección por artículos independientes, y luego resumir las secciones presentes en… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Antonio Guzmán Blanco — Mandats 18e Président du Venezuela 1870 – 1877 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Antonio Guzmán Blanco — (Caracas, 20 de febrero de 1829 París, 28 de julio de 1899) fue un militar, estadista y político venezolano, presidente en tres ocasiones (1870 1877, 1879 1884, y 1886 1888). Se le conoce como el ilustre americano. Hijo de Antonio Leocadio Guzmán …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Guzmán Blanco —   [guz man blaȖko], Antonio, venezolanischer General und Politiker, * Caracas 29. 2. 1828, ✝ Paris 28. 7. 1899; leitete 1861 63 die liberale Revolution gegen den Diktator J. A. Páez; 1863 68 war er Vizepräsident unter J. C. Falcón. Im April 1870… …   Universal-Lexikon

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”