Wilson Ferreira Aldunate facts for kids
Wilson Ferreira Aldunate (born in 1919, died in 1988) was a very important Uruguayan politician. He was a leading member of the National Party, also known as the Blanco Party. He is remembered for his strong beliefs and his fight for democracy in Uruguay.
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Wilson Ferreira Aldunate's Early Political Life
Wilson Ferreira Aldunate started his political career as the Minister of Agriculture. He served in this role from 1963 to 1967. This was during a time when the National Party was in charge of the government.
Becoming a Senator
Later, he became a Senator. As a Senator, he led a group within his party called Por la Patria. He often spoke on the radio, sharing his ideas with the public every week. He was known for being one of the more open-minded members of his party. He strongly disagreed with President Jorge Pacheco Areco's policies.
Running for President
In the 1971 elections, Wilson Ferreira Aldunate ran for president. His running mate was Carlos Julio Pereyra. Ferreira Aldunate actually received the most votes out of all the candidates! He got over 60,000 more votes than Juan Maria Bordaberry from the Colorado Party.
However, Uruguay had a special election rule called the Ley de Lemas at that time. This rule meant that the total votes for all candidates from one party were added together. Even though Ferreira Aldunate got the most individual votes, the Colorado Party as a whole received slightly more votes than the National Party. Because of this rule, Juan Maria Bordaberry became president instead.
Fighting for Democracy from Exile
After a military takeover in 1973, Uruguay was ruled by a military government. Wilson Ferreira Aldunate strongly opposed this new government. He was one of the main non-leftist politicians who had to leave Uruguay. He went to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and then to other countries.
From exile, he continued to speak out against the dictatorship. In 1976, he even spoke to the US Senate in the United States. He told them about the human rights problems in Uruguay and asked the U.S. to stop sending military help to the country.
His Return to Uruguay
On June 16, 1984, Wilson Ferreira Aldunate decided to return to Uruguay. As soon as he arrived, he was arrested. This arrest caused many protests in Latin America and Spain. People in Uruguay, especially his party members, also demanded his release.
He was released five days after the presidential election that brought democracy back to Uruguay. When he spoke to the crowds after his release, he immediately offered to help the new democratic government. One important moment was when the parliament discussed a law called the Expiry Law. This law was about past events during the dictatorship, and Ferreira Aldunate supported it.
Later Life and Legacy
Wilson Ferreira Aldunate passed away from cancer in 1988. After his death, President Julio María Sanguinetti said, "He lived as a gladiator and died a messenger of peace." This quote shows how much he fought for his beliefs and how he worked for peace at the end of his life.
He is buried at the Cementerio del Buceo, Montevideo in Montevideo.
