Manuel Franco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Manuel Franco
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 26th President of Paraguay | |
| In office August 15, 1916 – June 5, 1919 |
|
| Vice President | José Pedro Montero |
| Preceded by | Eduardo Schaerer |
| Succeeded by | José Pedro Montero |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 9, 1871 Concepción, Paraguay |
| Died | June 5, 1919 (aged 47) Asunción, Paraguay |
| Political party | Liberal Party |
| Occupation | Master lawyer |
Manuel Franco (born July 9, 1871 – died June 5, 1919) was a very important leader in Paraguay. He served as the President of Paraguay from August 15, 1916, until his death on June 5, 1919.
Contents
Manuel Franco: A Leader of Paraguay
Early Life and Education
Manuel Franco was born in Concepción, Paraguay, on July 9, 1871. His mother was Josefa Antonio Franco. He was baptized in the Church of Concepción.
Manuel never married, but he had four children: Evaristo, Fernando, María Ana, and Manuel Jr.
After finishing his first studies, young Manuel moved to Asunción with his aunt. He joined the National School as a boarder to continue his education.
In 1891, he moved to the capital city. He studied law and earned a PhD, becoming a lawyer.
Starting His Career
While studying at the university, Manuel Franco had to work to support himself. He took on various jobs in government offices.
In 1893, he became the first official in the General Accounting Secretary of the Nation. A year later, in 1894, he became a book-keeper for the same office.
Even though he was part of the Liberal political group, he built a strong career in public service.
In August 1899, he joined the National Council of Education. In June 1903, President Escurra made him the Director of the Colegio Nacional de la Capital, a major school.
In May 1905, he helped investigate the government of the Colorado Party after it was removed from power.
During the time of President Emiliano González Navero, Manuel Franco became the Minister of Justice. In 1908, he was appointed Minister of the Interior.
Later, he became the Director of the Agricultural Bank. In 1910, he became a judge in the Supreme Court of Justice.
By 1912, he was a Senator for the nation. In 1913, he worked as a Public Prosecutor. In 1916, he returned to his role as a Senator.
His involvement in politics grew from his connections with many smart people. He was part of a group within the Liberal Party and was guided by Manuel Gondra.
In 1911, he joined a group working for political change in Pilar, along with other important figures like Gondra and Schaerer.
Manuel Franco as a Teacher
Manuel Franco cared a lot about improving education. As a teacher, he used his knowledge to help others learn.
He taught Civic Law and Morals at the Colegio Nacional de la Capital. He also taught Civil Law at the Law School of Asunción's National University. In 1912, he even became the Rector (head) of the university.
Leading Paraguay
Manuel Franco became the President of Paraguay on August 15, 1916. He was the candidate for the Liberal Party. He took over from Eduardo Schaerer, and José P. Montero was his Vice-President.
Under his leadership, Paraguay gained more respect from other countries. This happened because he chose excellent people to represent Paraguay. For example, Manuel Gondra went to the United States and Mexico, and Cecilio Báez represented Paraguay in Europe.
President Franco set clear goals for his government. He focused on professional education, making changes to how land was owned, making voting private, and keeping the country's money stable.
He always paid attention to education. He supported the education plan from 1904 and later helped create rules for teacher's salaries.
He also improved the look of Asunción, the capital city. He turned a large market area into a public square.
He chose a very strong team of government leaders, including some of the smartest people in Paraguayan politics. He was fair and chose talented people for government jobs, even from other political groups.
His government was known for being capable and honest.
His Legacy
Manuel Franco died of a heart attack while still in office on June 5, 1919. After his death, Vice-President José P. Montero became President.
Today, a street in Asunción, which was once called Del Sol, is named Presidente Franco (President Franco) in his honor. This is also the name of a very important street in Concepción, his hometown.
See also
In Spanish: Manuel Franco para niños
