Pedro Lascuráin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pedro Lascuráin
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| 38th President of Mexico | |
| In office 19 February 1913 (c. 45 minutes) – 19 February 1913 |
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| Preceded by | Francisco I. Madero |
| Succeeded by | Victoriano Huerta |
| Secretary of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 10 April 1912 – 19 February 1913 |
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| President | Francisco I. Madero |
| Preceded by | Manuel Calero y Sierra |
| Succeeded by | Federico Gamboa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 May 1856 Mexico City, Mexico |
| Died | 21 July 1952 (aged 96) Mexico City, Mexico |
| Resting place | Panteón Francés |
| Spouse | María Flores |
Pedro José Domingo de la Calzada Manuel María Lascuráin Paredes (born May 8, 1856 – died July 21, 1952) was a Mexican politician. He is famous for being the president of Mexico for the shortest time in history – less than an hour! This happened on February 19, 1913. Before his very brief presidency, he worked as Mexico's foreign secretary and was also the head of a law school in Mexico City for many years.
Contents
Early Life: Pedro's Childhood in Mexico City
Pedro Lascuráin was born in 1856 in a place called Rancho la Romita, which is now part of Colonia Roma in Mexico City. His parents were Francisco Lascuráin Icaza and Ana Paredes Cortés. Pedro came from a wealthy and religious family. His family had roots from a region in Spain called Basque Country and had moved to Mexico in the early 1800s.
Pedro's Path to Politics: Lawyer and Mayor
Pedro Lascuráin became a lawyer in 1880 after studying at the National School of Jurisprudence in Mexico City. In 1910, he was the mayor of Mexico City. At this time, Francisco I. Madero began a campaign against the re-election of President Porfirio Díaz.
Lascuráin supported Madero. After Madero was elected president, Lascuráin served as the foreign secretary twice. He held this important job from April 10, 1912, to December 4, 1912, and again from January 15, 1913, to February 19, 1913. Between these two terms, he returned to being the mayor of Mexico City. As foreign secretary, he had to handle requests from the U.S. Ambassador, Henry Lane Wilson.
Pedro's Very Short Presidency: A Historic Moment
On February 19, 1913, General Victoriano Huerta took control of the government from President Madero. Madero was held prisoner in the National Palace. Pedro Lascuráin was one of the people who convinced Madero to resign as president. They told Madero that his life was in danger if he did not step down.
How Pedro Became President for Minutes
Under the rules of the 1857 Constitution of Mexico, if the president couldn't serve, the next in line was the vice-president, then the attorney general, followed by the foreign secretary, and finally the interior secretary. General Huerta had removed President Madero, Vice-President José María Pino Suárez, and Attorney General Adolfo Valles Baca from power.
To make his takeover seem legal, Huerta needed someone to follow the rules. So, he had Lascuráin, who was the foreign secretary, become president. Lascuráin's job was then to appoint Huerta as his interior secretary. This would make Huerta next in line for the presidency. After doing this, Lascuráin would resign.
The Shortest Presidency in History
This plan worked, and the presidency then passed to Huerta. Because of this, Pedro Lascuráin was president for less than an hour. Some reports say it was as short as 15 minutes, while others say up to 56 minutes. Either way, Lascuráin's presidency is the shortest in history!
Huerta quickly called a special meeting of Congress late that night. With his soldiers nearby, the lawmakers approved his new power. A few days later, Madero and Pino Suárez were killed. These events, including the takeover and the killings, became known as La decena trágica ("the tragic ten days").
Later Life: After the Presidency
General Huerta offered Lascuráin a job in his new government, but Lascuráin said no. He decided to leave politics and went back to working as a lawyer. He became the director of the Escuela Libre de Derecho, a law school, for 16 years. He also wrote many books and articles about business and civil law. Pedro Lascuráin passed away on July 21, 1952, at the age of 96. He was the second oldest former Mexican president at the time of his death.
See also
In Spanish: Pedro Lascuráin para niños
