Juan Rafael Estrella Ureña (born

Santiago de los Caballeros Santiago de los Caballeros (; '' en, Saint James of the Knights''), often shortened to Santiago, is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic and the fourth-largest city in the Caribbean by population. It is the capital of Santiago Prov ...

, November 10, 1889 – May 25, 1945) was a Dominican politician and lawyer. He served as the last acting

president of the Dominican Republic The president of the Dominican Republic ( es, Presidente de la República Dominicana) is both the head of state and head of government of the Dominican Republic. The presidential system was established in 1844, following the proclamation of th ...

from March 3, 1930 until August 16, 1930, when he started to serve as the vice president under

Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina ( , ; 24 October 189130 May 1961), nicknamed ''El Jefe'' (, "The Chief" or "The Boss"), was a Dominican dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from February 1930 until his assassination in May 1961. He ser ...

(he held the vice presidency until 1932).

Biography

Estrella Ureña was born on November 10, 1889, in Santiago de los Caballeros. His mother was Juana Antonia Ureña Estévez and his father was Juan Baustista Estrella Durán; he had 1 brother. He later moved with his family to live in

Santo Domingo , total_type = Total , population_density_km2 = auto , timezone = AST (UTC −4) , area_code_type = Area codes , area_code = 809, 829, 849 , postal_code_type = Postal codes , postal_code = 10100–10699 ( Distrito Nacional) , webs ...

, where he studied at the

University of Santo Domingo A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...

. Estrella Ureña studied law, and during his college years he mixed with young fans of the doctrines of

Puerto Rican independence Throughout the history of Puerto Rico, its inhabitants have initiated several movements to obtain independence for the island, first from the Spanish Empire from 1493 to 1898 and since then from the United States. A spectrum of pro- autonomy, ...

advocate

Eugenio María de Hostos Eugenio María de Hostos (January 11, 1839 – August 11, 1903), known as "''El Gran Ciudadano de las Américas''" ("The Great Citizen of the Americas"), was a Puerto Rican educator, philosopher, intellectual, lawyer, sociologist, novelist, an ...

, this made him change his thinking. Under Eladio Victoria's administration, Estrella Ureña adamantly opposed, and felt dissatisfaction with the assassination of President Ramón Cáceres. He then planned to conspire against Victoria, and with others, he founded the "Partido Liberal Reformista" or "Liberal Reformist Party" which had its fundamental ideology in the ideas of Eugenio María de Hostos. He was eventually imprisoned. On June 9, 1917 he married Tomasina Martínez Rodríguez (1904–1989) and fathered 9 children. By 1924, Estrella Ureña fully supported

Horacio Vásquez Felipe Horacio Vásquez Lajara (October 22, 1860 – March 25, 1936) was a Dominican general and political figure. He served as the president of the Provisional Government Junta of the Dominican Republic in 1899, and again between 1902 and 1903. ...

and heavily helped his presidential campaign. In 1925, he founded the ''Partido Republicano'' (Republican Party) and was appointed to the department of Justice and Public Instruction. Estrella conspired with the Chief of the Armed Forces,

, and together, they cut a deal. In return for letting Estrella take power, Trujillo would be allowed to run for president in new elections. As the rebels marched toward Santo Domingo, Vásquez ordered Trujillo to suppress them. However, feigning "neutrality," Trujillo kept his men in barracks, allowing Estrella's rebels to take the capital virtually unopposed. On March 3, Estrella was proclaimed acting president with Trujillo confirmed as head of the police and the army. As per their agreement, Trujillo became the presidential nominee of the newly formed Patriotic Coalition of Citizens. Vásquez was forced to resign along with his deputy, Dr. José Dolores Alfonseca. In 1930, Trujillo won the presidential elections and designated Estrella as his vice-president. In 1932, Estrella resigned from the vice-presidency; some say that it was on the pretext that relations between Estrella and Trujillo had become strained. He died on May 25, 1945 of a surgical procedure. It was rumored that Trujillo was the one who had hired the surgeon to ensure that Estrella was not to survive the operation. In response, Trujillo declared a state of mourning for three days.

Sources

Biography
at the ''Enciclopedia Virtual Dominicana''

References

1889 births 1945 deaths 20th-century Dominican Republic politicians Dominican Republic people of Spanish descent Leaders who took power by coup People from Santiago de los Caballeros Presidents of the Dominican Republic Vice presidents of the Dominican Republic White Dominicans {{DominicanRepublic-politician-stub