Aparicio Méndez Manfredini (24 August 1904 – 27 June 1988) was a Uruguayan lawyer and politician. He was a de facto

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...

from 1976 to 1981 as a non-democratically elected authority of the civic-military dictatorship.

Background

Born in the northern city of

Rivera Rivera () is the capital of Rivera Department of Uruguay. The border with Brazil joins it with the Brazilian city of Santana do Livramento, which is only a block away from it, at the north end of Route 5 (Uruguay), Route 5. Together, they form an ...

, Méndez was a member of the National Party, traditionally strong in the interior of the country whence he originated. He built up a reputation as an expert in administrative law. Méndez served as Health Minister from 1961 to 1964. In addition to his political life, Méndez was a close personal friend of the Spanish classical guitarist

Andrés Segovia Andrés Segovia Torres, 1st Marquis of Salobreña (21 February 1893 – 2 June 1987), was a Spanish virtuoso classical guitarist. Many professional classical guitarists were either students of Segovia or students of Segovia's students. Segovia ...

. Segovia lived in

Montevideo Montevideo (, ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city proper has a population of 1,302,954 (about 37.2% of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...

during the 1940s, and came into contact with Méndez during this time. Segovia composed two original pieces for Méndez, the Anecdote #4 (published in ''Guitar Review Magazine'' in 1947), and the Preludio #8 (subtitled "on a theme by Aparicio Méndez") which was published by Edizioni Musicali Bèrben in 1998.

President of Uruguay

Méndez was one of various civilian political figures who participated in the civilian-military administration which took office following President Juan Maria Bordaberry's coup in 1973 at a time of great social tension. It was as one who had built a reputation for reliability with its military participants that he subsequently served as president for five years.

Free constitutional referendum

In 1980, Méndez's government held a constitutional referendum, the free nature of which was underlined by the fact that the electorate rejected the government's proposals.

Death and legacy

Méndez died in

in 1988. Some would argue that, in agreeing to serve as president with military support, Aparicio Méndez was effectively repudiating the principles of the National Party with which he had been associated. Others would point out that Méndez was far from alone among the various civilian party political figures who participated in the Civic-military dictatorship (1973–1985), and that he presided over a free referendum.

Background

President of Uruguay

Free constitutional referendum

Death and legacy

References

See also