Pedro Lascurain

Pedro Lascuráin
President of Mexico
In office February 18, 1913 – February 18, 1913 (45 minutes)
Preceded by	Francisco I. Madero
Succeeded by	Victoriano Huerta
Born	8 May 1856(1856-05-08) Mexico City
Died	21 July 1952 (aged 96) Mexico City
Nationality	Mexican
Spouse(s)	María Flores

Pedro José Domingo de la Calzada Manuel María Lascuráin Paredes (Mexico City, May 8, 1856^[1] – July 21, 1952 in Mexico City) was both Mexico and the world's briefest-ever serving president.

He served as Mexico's foreign minister for two terms and was the director of a small law school in Mexico City for 16 years.

Early career

Lascuráin received a law degree in 1880 from the Escuela Nacional de Jurisprudencia in Mexico City. He was mayor of Mexico City in 1910 when Madero began his antireelectionist campaign against Díaz. Lascuráin was a supporter of Madero, and after the later was elected president to replace Díaz, Lascuráin served twice as foreign secretary in Madero's cabinet (April 10, 1912 to December 4, 1912 and January 15, 1913 to February 18, 1913). In between the two terms he was again mayor of Mexico City. As foreign minister he had to deal with the demands of U.S. Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson, who was later involved in planning Huerta's coup.

Presidency

On February 18, 1913, General Victoriano Huerta overthrew President Madero. Lascuráin was one of the individuals who convinced Madero to resign the presidency when Madero was being held prisoner in the National Palace, claiming that his life was in danger if he refused.

To give the coup d'état an appearance of legality, Huerta had Lascuráin assume the presidency. Huerta had ousted both Vice-President José María Pino Suárez and the attorney general as well, and under the constitution the foreign minister stood third in line for the presidency behind the vice president and attorney general. Lascuráin then appointed Huerta to be his interior minister—fourth in line for the presidency and promptly resigned, thus handing the office of president over to Huerta. Lascuráin was thus president for less than one hour - sources quote figures ranging from 15 to 55 minutes. This makes his presidency the shortest in world history, above that of Venezuelan politician Diosdado Cabello.

Huerta called a late-night special session of Congress and under the guns of Huerta's troops the legislators endorsed his assumption of power. A few days later, Huerta had Madero and Suárez killed. The coup and the events surrounding it became known as la decena trágica ("the tragic ten days").

Later life

Huerta offered him a post in his cabinet, but Lascuráin declined. He retired from politics and began practicing again as a lawyer. Lascuráin was the director of the Escuela Libre de Derecho, a conservative law school, for 16 years, and he published extensively on commercial and civil law.

References

• (Spanish) "Lascuráin Paredes, Pedro," Enciclopedia de México, vol. 8. Mexico City, 1996, ISBN 1564090167
• (Spanish) Altamirano Cozzi, Graziella, Pedro Lascurain: Un hombre en la encrucijada de la revolución. Instituto Mora, 2004 ISBN 9789706840974
• (Spanish) García Purón, Manuel, México y sus gobernantes, v. 2. Mexico City: Joaquín Porrua, 1984.
• (Spanish) Orozco Linares, Fernando, Gobernantes de México. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1985, ISBN 9683802605

External links

• (Spanish) La decena trágica by Alejandro Rosas
• (Spanish) La decena trágica
• (Spanish) Brief biography at Encarta
• (Spanish) Brief biography
• (Spanish) A little more biographical information