Federico Laredo Brú facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Federico Laredo Brú
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| 8th President of Cuba | |
| In office December 24, 1936 – October 10, 1940 |
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| Preceded by | Miguel M. Gómez |
| Succeeded by | Fulgencio Batista |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 23, 1875 Remedios, Spanish Cuba |
| Died | July 7, 1946 (aged 71) Havana, Cuba |
| Spouse | Leonor Gomez-Montes |
Federico Laredo Brú was a Cuban lawyer and politician. He was born on April 23, 1875, in Remedios, Cuba. He later became the eighth President of Cuba, serving from 1936 to 1940. He was married to Leonor Gomez-Montes. Before becoming president, Laredo Brú was a Colonel in Cuba’s Liberation Army during the Cuban War of Independence. He passed away in Havana, Cuba on July 7, 1946, at 71 years old.
Contents
Becoming President of Cuba
Federico Laredo Brú started his journey to the presidency as the Vice President in January 1936. The president at that time was Miguel Mariano Gómez. However, a powerful military leader named Fulgencio Batista arranged for President Gómez to be removed from office in December 1936. This happened because Gómez disagreed with a plan to create special schools for the army. After Gómez was removed, Federico Laredo Brú took over as president. He finished the remaining years of Gómez's term.
New Programs for Cuban People
During Federico Laredo Brú's time as president, many new laws were passed to help the people of Cuba. The government allowed some people who had been exiled to return. They also created programs to help people with their finances. These included pensions (money for retired workers), insurance, and rules for a minimum wage (the lowest amount a worker could be paid). They also set limits on how many hours people could work.
In 1937, Laredo Brú helped pass a law called the Law of Sugar Coordination. This law helped small farmers by organizing them into groups called cooperatives. It also helped farm workers join unions. The law made sure that tenant farmers (farmers who rent land) received a fair share of their crops. It also protected them from losing their fields if they worked hard on them.
President Laredo Brú also made a rule that Cuban citizens should lead all businesses in the country. Many workers joined unions, especially the Confederation of Cuban Workers. This union became very strong.
Cuba and United States Relations
For many years, the United States had a big influence on Cuban politics. This sometimes caused people in Cuba to feel against the U.S. However, during President Laredo Brú's time, the United States' influence in Cuba became less strong.
The MS St. Louis Incident
A sad event happened on May 27, 1939. A ship called the MS St. Louis arrived in Cuba. It carried 930 Jewish people who were escaping from Germany because of Adolf Hitler's persecutions. However, President Laredo Brú's government did not allow them to enter Cuba. The landing papers these passengers had were made invalid by the Cuban government while the ship was traveling.
Only a small number of people, 22 Jewish refugees, 4 Spaniards, and 2 Cuban citizens, were allowed to get off the ship in Havana. The ship then tried to go to the United States and Canada, but they were also refused entry. In the end, the remaining passengers had to go back to Europe, landing in England, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Later Life and Passing
After his time as president, Federico Laredo Brú passed away. He died in Havana at the age of seventy-one. He died from a heart problem.
Images for kids
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Leonor Gómez-Montes de Laredo Brú, First Lady of Cuba
See also
In Spanish: Federico Laredo Brú para niños
