Guillermo Billinghurst

Guillermo Billinghurst 3

Guillermo Enrique Billinghurst Angulo (born July 27, 1851 in Arica (in today's Chile), † June 28, 1915 in Iquique , Chile) was a Peruvian politician. He was the successor to Augusto B. Leguía y Salcedo from 1912 to 1914 Peruvian President. His presidency was marked by violent disputes with the Peruvian Congress over social reforms and the settlement of the Tacna Arica territorial dispute with Chile . The conflict culminated in a military coup led by Oscar R. Benavides , who took power himself.

Life

Political career

Billinghurst was a member of the Partido Civil . At that time, this party was considered to be the architect of a previously unknown period of political stability and economic growth, but it also set in motion extensive social reforms that were to change the social system of Peru over the long term.

As Vice President under the government of Nicolás de Piérola from 1895 to 1899, Billinghurst was involved in the mediation efforts over the border conflicts with Chile. On April 9, 1898, Billinghurst and the Chilean Foreign Minister Silva Cruz signed a memorandum calling for a plebiscite in both countries. The Spanish Queen María Cristina was to serve as the arbitrator in determining the terms of the vote .

However, the protocol was not ratified by the Chilean parliament. As a result, diplomatic relations between the two countries were broken off in 1901.

Presidential election 1912

The election campaign of 1912 was the most violently fought of the era of the “aristocratic republic” (a term that referred to the primary recruitment of the political class from the upper class). The Partido Civilista nominated Antero Aspíllaga as its official candidate, one of the most famous figures of the conservative party wing. The political opponents held him against his Chilean birth, which made him unfit for the presidency.

The "civilistas" were unable to control the new social forces that had started their own reforms. This became clear when Guillermo Billinghurst, the reform-minded former mayor of Lima (1909-1910), organized a general strike that prevented the election of the official party candidate for president and forced his own election by Congress.

Term of office as president

One of the major achievements of the Billinghurst government was the establishment of an eight hour work day.

In 1914, Congress instituted an investigation to oust Billinghurst. This reacted with the threat to arm workers and to force the dissolution of the Congress.

Billinghurst was born on February 4, 1914 by a coup of the military replaced, led by Colonel Oscar R. Benavides and the brothers Javier and Manuel Prado Ugarteche and conservative partisans of the Partido Civil. Billinghurst had to leave Peru. In exile, Billinghurst commented on the coup: “In a lengthy and pathetic speech, the young Prado explained to me the details and motives of the coup: They all recognized my patriotism, my integrity and my ability to lead the government. But the only and most serious mistake I made was the direction my domestic policy gave the country. and ultimately I think that the sons of the former President Mariano Ignacio Prado have to 'clean up' the memory of their father. "

Billinghurst died in exile in Chile.

Fonts

• El Presidente Billinghurst a la Nación . La Imprenta servant, Santiago de Chile 1915.