Manuel Franco
Manuel Franco (born June 9, 1871 in Concepción , † June 5, 1919 in Asunción ) was a Paraguayan university professor , minister and president (1916-1919).
After attending the Colegio Nacional in Asunción, he studied at the Universidad Nacional in the capital and obtained a doctorate in law. He then initially taught at the two educational institutions previously visited. He became director of the Colegio Nacional and in 1903 rector of the Universidad Nacional . He served in the cabinets of Manuel Gondra and Emiliano González Navero as Minister of Justice, Culture and Education.
On August 15, 1916, Franco was elected President of Paraguay. On November 30, he reformed the electoral law, which was based on the Argentine electoral reform of February 1912 and allowed secret elections and opposition minority parties in parliament. He doubled the number of senators and MPs from 20 to 40 each and divided the country into four electoral districts. He introduced the civil register , increased taxes on exports and limited indirect taxes in order to support the poor. It also held expropriations of large landowners through to the land at low prices to spread to small farmers and promoted the establishment of agricultural colleges. With these measures he managed to reorganize national finances, stabilize the currency and increase agricultural production.
Franco died of a heart attack in 1919, four days before his 48th birthday. He was unmarried and had a daughter.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Manuel Franco - Datos biográficos portalguarani.com , accessed on March 26, 2019.
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Eduardo Schaerer |
President of Paraguay 1916–1919 |
José Pedro Montero |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Franco, Manuel |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Paraguayan university professor, minister and president (1916–1919) |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 9, 1871 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Concepción |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 5, 1919 |
| Place of death | Asunción |