Óscar Osorio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Óscar Osorio
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| 32nd President of El Salvador | |
| In office 14 September 1950 – 14 September 1956 |
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| Preceded by | Revolutionary Council of Government Salvador Castaneda Castro as President |
| Succeeded by | José María Lemus |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 December 1910 Sonsonate, El Salvador |
| Died | 6 March 1969 (aged 58) Houston, Texas, United States |
| Political party | Revolutionary Party of Democratic Unification |
| Spouse | Esperanza Llerena |
| Occupation | Military officer, politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  El Salvador |
| Branch/service | Salvadoran Army |
| Rank | Major |
Óscar Osorio Hernández (born December 14, 1910 – died March 6, 1969) was an important leader in El Salvador. He was part of the Revolutionary Council of Government from 1948 to 1950. Later, he became the President of El Salvador, serving from September 14, 1950, to September 14, 1956.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Óscar Osorio was born in Sonsonate, El Salvador, on December 14, 1910. He went to primary school in Sonsonate, Santa Ana, and San Salvador. He also studied at the Captain General Gerardo Barrios Military School in the capital city.
He continued his military education in different academies, including three years at the War College in Turin, Italy. He returned to El Salvador in October 1943.
Óscar Osorio was married twice. First, he married Leticia Rosales, and they had three children: Ana Maya, Rhina, and Oscar. His second wife was Esperanza Llerena, and they had two children, Cecilia and Humberto.
Becoming President
On December 14, 1948, a group of "young soldiers" led a change in government. Óscar Osorio, who was a major at the time, was called back from his diplomatic work in Mexico. He was asked to lead a temporary government called the Revolutionary Council.
Under a new constitution created in 1950, presidential elections were held. Óscar Osorio ran as a candidate for the Revolutionary Party of Democratic Unification. This party was started in 1945. He won the election against Colonel José Menéndez Ascencio.
His Time as President
Óscar Osorio became the constitutional president of El Salvador in 1950. His time as president was a period of good economic growth for the country. This was because the prices of coffee and cotton, which El Salvador exported, went up a lot.
His government started many social and development projects. These included:
- Introducing Social Security for people working in cities.
- Creating the Institute of Urban Housing (IVU) to help with housing.
- Starting new public works projects.
With the money from coffee exports, many important projects were built. These included:
- The Executive Committee on Ports (ECA) to manage ports.
- The Hydroelectric Dam "November 5," which generates electricity.
- The Coastal Highway and the "Golden Bridge" over the Lempa River.
- Many new schools and apartment buildings.
The anniversary of the 1948 government change was celebrated with great excitement. These economic changes helped many people, especially those in the middle class and in cities.
Osorio's government also strongly supported the arts. They created a program to give scholarships to artists so they could study abroad.
However, during his presidency, there were also laws put in place to maintain order. These laws, like the Law on Defense of the Constitutional Order, sometimes limited individual rights. From 1952 until the end of his term, his government faced challenges with protests from workers and students. Some leaders who wanted changes faced difficulties during this period.
Key features of Osorio's government, sometimes called the "Revolution of 1948," included:
- A period of economic growth due to high coffee prices.
- Efforts to control and organize the working class in El Salvador.
During Osorio's time, people also started growing a lot of cotton on the coastal plains, especially in the eastern part of the country. In 1951, El Salvador signed treaties for Central American economic integration. This meant working more closely with other countries in Central America on economic matters.
Óscar Osorio died on March 6, 1969, in Houston, Texas, United States. He passed away due to kidney problems and pneumonia.
Military Ranks
- Promoted to lieutenant on December 12, 1931
- Promoted to lieutenant on June 15, 1934
- Promoted to captain on October 15, 1937
- Promoted to captain staff on October 15, 1937
- Promoted to lieutenant colonel on September 9, 1950
Decorations
Óscar Osorio received several important awards and honors from other countries:
Collar of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (Mexico, July 1951)
Grand Cross of the Order of Bernardo O'Higgins (Chile, October 1951)
Grand Cross of the Order of Rubén Darío (Nicaragua, January 1952)
Extraordinary Grand Cross of the Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa (Panama, September 1952)
Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (Ecuador, May 1953)
Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Germany, December 1954)
Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italy, February 1955)
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Images for kids
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Óscar Osorio, President of El Salvador, at the opening of the "November 5 Dam" in 1954.
See also
In Spanish: Óscar Osorio para niños
