Mario García Menocal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mario García Menocal
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Mario García Menocal, c. 1912
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| 3rd President of Cuba | |
| In office 20 May 1913 – 20 May 1921 |
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| Vice President | Enrique José Varona and Emilio Núñez |
| Preceded by | José Miguel Gómez |
| Succeeded by | Alfredo Zayas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 17, 1866 Jagüey Grande, Matanzas, Spanish Cuba |
| Died | September 7, 1941 (aged 74) Santiago de Cuba, Cuba |
| Nationality |  Cuban |
| Political party | Conservative Party |
| Spouse | Mariana Seva y Rodriguez |
| Children | Mario, Raul, and Georgina Garcia-Menocal Seva |
| Alma mater | Cornell University |
| Occupation | Attorney |
Mario García Menocal (born December 17, 1866 – died September 7, 1941) was the third President of Cuba. He served two terms, from 1913 to 1921. During his time as president, Cuba joined World War I.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mario García Menocal was born in Jagüey Grande, Matanzas, Cuba. When he was thirteen, he moved to the United States for school. He attended the Chappaqua Mountain Institute in New York. Later, he studied at the Maryland Agricultural College.
In 1884, he went to Cornell University and graduated in 1888. He earned a degree from the School of Engineering. While at Cornell, he was part of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. As a young man, he also helped Cuba fight for its independence from Spain. After Cuba became independent, García Menocal became a well-known conservative politician.
First Term as President (1913 – 1917)
Mario García Menocal was elected president in 1912. He was known for strongly supporting businesses and large companies. In July 1914, his political party lost control of the Cuban Congress. This happened when their alliance with a part of the Liberal Party of Cuba ended.
In May 1915, a newspaper editor named Enrique Mazas was arrested. He was accused of writing false things about President Menocal. It was claimed that Mazas said Menocal used public money for his trips. These trips were to the Chaparra Sugar Company, where Menocal was an inspector.
In September 1916, President Menocal created the Cuban Naval Academy. It was located near the Mariel harbor at that time.
Menocal was re-elected in November 1916. However, many people, including historians, believed the elections were unfair. This led to political disagreements and even a small uprising. In February 1917, Commander Luis Solano led a protest against Menocal. Former President José Miguel Gómez was also involved. The uprising did not succeed. This was partly because of disagreements among the rebels. It was also due to support Menocal received from the U.S. ambassador, William Elliot Gonzalez. Menocal then stopped several newspapers that supported the Liberal Party of Cuba.
One of Menocal's most important actions was declaring war on the German Empire. Cuba joined World War I on April 7, 1917, one day after the United States. Many believed he did this to get more support from the U.S. government. In December, Cuba also declared war on Austria-Hungary.
Second Term as President (1917 – 1921)
By the middle of June 1917, the uprising led by José Miguel Gómez was mostly stopped. In July 1917, President Menocal temporarily suspended some parts of the constitution. He also called for an extra meeting of Congress.
These constitutional rules were put back in place more than a year later. This happened on August 14, 1918, by another order from Menocal.
While in office, García Menocal hosted a large fraternity meeting in Cuba in 1920. It was the first international meeting for the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity outside the U.S. Special trains were rented to bring people from New England to Florida. From there, they traveled to Cuba in comfort. When they arrived, each man received a special box of cigars. Menocal's kindness is still remembered by the fraternity today.
He was also responsible for creating the Cuban Peso. Before his presidency, Cuba used both the Spanish Real and the U.S. Dollar. According to some reports, President Menocal left the Cuban government's money in a difficult situation. He supposedly spent $800 million during his eight years in office. He also left a debt of $40 million.
Later Life
After his time as president, García Menocal stayed involved in politics. He ran for president again in 1924. In 1931, he tried to start a revolution, but it failed. He then went to live in the United States.
After less than five years, he returned to Cuba. He ran for president one last time in 1936. Mario García Menocal died in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.
Family
Mario García Menocal was married to Mariana Seva y Rodríguez. They had three children together. Their children were Mario (who married Hortensia Almagro), Raúl (who married Perlita Fowler), and Georgina García Menocal y Seva (who married Eugenio Sardina).
See also
In Spanish: Mario García Menocal para niños
