Carlos Delgado Chalbaud
| Carlos Delgado Chalbaud | |
|---|---|
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| President of Venezuela | |
| In office 24 November 1948 – 13 November 1950 |
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| Preceded by | Rómulo Gallegos |
| Succeeded by | Germán Suárez Flamerich |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 January 1909 Caracas |
| Died | 13 November 1950 (aged 41) Caracas |
| Spouse(s) | Lucía Devine |
| Signature |  |
Carlos Román Delgado Chalbaud Gómez (January 20, 1909 – November 13, 1950) was a Venezuelan career military officer, and as leader of a military junta was President of Venezuela from 1948 to 1950. By 1945 he was a high-ranking officer and was among the leaders of a military coup which brought to power the mass membership party Democratic Action. In 1948, whilst Minister of Defense, he led another military coup and became head of state as President of a military junta, serving in that position until his death. He was assassinated in Caracas.
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[edit] Background
Carlos Delgado Chalbaud was a military man and a Venezuelan politician. He was known as Carlos Delgado Chalbaud because he used the last names of his father Román Delgado Chalbaud as a form of tribute to his memory. His mother was Ms. Luisa Elena Gómez Velutini. He studied Engineering in France; after finishing his studies he returned to Paris and joined the Army with the rank of captain.
[edit] Career
As one of the brightest officials of the Armed Forces associated with the group that overthrew Isaías Medina Angarita in 1945, he was a member of the Government Revolutionary Junta which replaced Medina in power. He became Minister of Defence under the presidency of Rómulo Gallegos.
In 1948 Chalbaud was among those who overthrew that government, and was a member of the Military Junta of Government along with Marcos Pérez Jiménez and Luis Llovera Páez, being the titular head of the three-person junta. He was kidnapped and assassinated by a group led by Rafael Simon Urbina and his nephew Domingo Urbina, his kidnapping took place in Caracas in the now urbanized "La Cinta" street, in Baruta.
Although it has not been possible to confirm, for many people, the mastermind was Pérez Jiménez; nevertheless some believe this is unlikely since the wife of Marcos Pérez Jiménez, Doña Flor María Chalbaud Cardona de Pérez Jiménez, was Delgado Chalbaud's cousin. His murder seems to be the unintended outcome of a failed kidnapping led by Rafael Simon Urbina who looked to overthrow the Chalbaud presidency. Some believe Urbina despised Delgado Chalbaud although others allege they were close until a falling out over politics split them apart. The day after the capture and imprisonment of Urbina, he was assassinated by orders of the Direction of National Security, effectively securing Pérez Jiménez's position as the strongman in Venezuela for the next several years.
[edit] Legacy
The birth of the Orinoco River is located in the Cerro Carlos Delgado Chalbaud at 1047 m. above sea level. This hill was baptized in his name two years after his death.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- (Spanish) Carlos Delgado Chalbaud — Official biography.
- (Spanish) Carlos Delgado Chalbaud
