José Miguel Gómez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Miguel Gómez
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| 2nd President of Cuba | |
| In office 28 January 1909 – 20 May 1913 |
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| Vice President | Alfredo Zayas |
| Preceded by | Tomás Estrada Palma |
| Succeeded by | Mario García Menocal |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 6, 1858 Sancti Spíritus, Cuba |
| Died | June 13, 1921 (aged 62) New York City, New York United States |
| Nationality |  Cuban |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Cuba |
| Spouse | América Arias |
| Children | Miguel Mariano Gómez |
José Miguel Gómez y Gómez (born July 6, 1858 – died June 13, 1921) was an important Cuban leader. He helped lead the rebel forces during Cuba's fight for independence. Later, he became the second President of Cuba, serving from 1909 to 1913.
Contents
Early Life and Political Beginnings
José Miguel Gómez was born in Sancti Spíritus, a city in Cuba. He became a popular figure in Cuba. When the country was setting up its new government, Gómez was part of a group that voted to accept the Platt Amendment. This was a special rule that gave the United States some power over Cuba's affairs.
In 1905, Gómez planned to run for president. He teamed up with Alfredo Zayas as part of the Liberal Party. However, there was a lot of unrest during the election. This made it hard for the Liberals to win, so Gómez decided not to run that time.
Later, the Liberal Party faced some challenges and split into different groups. But when they saw how strong the Conservative Party was becoming, Gómez and Zayas decided to bring the Liberal Party back together.
Serving as President of Cuba
In the 1908 election, José Miguel Gómez and Alfredo Zayas won as the candidates for the Liberal Party. Many people liked Gómez, and he was seen as a kind leader. However, his time as president faced some problems with political issues.
During his presidency, the government also started giving money to newspapers. This meant the newspapers often wrote things that supported the government. In 1909, President Gómez approved the creation of the Cuban Telephone Company. This was an American company that became very powerful in Cuba's phone system for many years.
In 1912, there was a difficult conflict in Cuba. It happened mainly in the eastern part of the island. This conflict involved Afro-Cuban rebels and the Cuban army. After a short time, the Cuban army and the U.S. military helped to end the rebellion quickly.
President Gómez also signed a special agreement in 1912. It gave a company the right to use the large Zapata Swamp area in southern Matanzas. However, the U.S. government was not happy about this agreement. After some discussions, President Gómez decided to cancel the agreement a few weeks later.
Later Years and Family
José Miguel Gómez passed away in New York City. His body was brought back to Cuba and buried in the Colon Cemetery, Havana.
Gómez had many friends and supporters. One of his friends, Gerardo Machado, later became the president of Cuba himself.
José Miguel Gómez was married to América Arias y López. Their son, Miguel Mariano Gómez, also became president of Cuba later on. He was the sixth president of the country.
See also
In Spanish: José Miguel Gómez para niños
