Alfredo Baldomir

For the son of Enzo Ferrari, see Alfredo Ferrari.

Alfredo Baldomir Ferrari
27th President of Uruguay
In office 19 June 1938 – 1 March 1943
Vice President	César Charlone
Preceded by	Gabriel Terra
Succeeded by	Juan José de Amézaga
Personal details
Born	27 August 1884 Paysandú, Uruguay
Died	25 February 1948 (aged 63)
Political party	Colorado Party
Spouse	Sara Terra
Alma mater	University of the Republic, Uruguay
Occupation	Politician, soldier, architect

Alfredo Baldomir Ferrari (August 27, 1884 – February 25, 1948) was a Uruguayan soldier, architect and politician. He served as President of Uruguay from 1938 to 1943 and is most notable for leading Uruguay to support the Allies during World War II.

Background

Baldomir was born in Montevideo. He joined the army in 1900 and studied architecture and engineering. He designed many famous buildings in Uruguay, eventually directed the army corps of engineers and worked as a professor.

By 1930, Baldomir was becoming involved in politics. He served as chief of police of Montevideo from 1931 to 1934 and as defense minister of Uruguay from 1935 to 1938, and was thus strongly identified with the rule of his brother-in-law, then President of Uruguay Gabriel Terra.

President of Uruguay

He was elected President of Uruguay in 1938 as a member of the long-ruling Colorado Party. He took office as President on June 19, 1938; the Vice President of Uruguay during his period of Presidential office was Alfredo Navarro. Baldomir set a high priority in involving Uruguay in international affairs, and appointed the famous diplomat Alberto Guani as foreign minister.

As World War II broke out (Baldomir was President during the Battle of the River Plate), Baldomir discouraged support for the Axis within the country, and early in 1942, he broke off diplomatic relations with the Axis Powers. In 1942, Baldomir, now a general in the army, expanded his powers through a military coup dissolving parliament and declaring an emergency. His term, which was soon to expire, was extended for a year. Soon a new Constitution came into force.

A wide range of reforms were also carried out during Baldomir's presidency. Regulations respecting safety in the construction of scaffolding were amended by a Decree of 7 September 1939, while a Decree of 19 October 1938, as noted by one study, "laid down, for the purposes of the application of labour legislation, a legal definition which finds its main criterion in the preponderance of intellectual or physical effort expended by the wage earner." In addition, a 1940 law fixed minimum standards for work on rice plantations. A number of other labor reforms were introduced. A law of December 20 1939 Law No. 9898 (Land for Farmers) authorized an expropriation in favor of evicted farmers, while Law No. 10,051 (on land division) of 1941, as noted by one study, established “a regime for expropriation, exploitation, etc., with the intervention of the BHU.”

In 1943, Baldomir voluntarily held elections and gave up power, but the continued dominance of the Colorados was ensured.

Later life

Baldomir retired from presidency on 1 March 1943. He was the president of Banco de la República Oriental del Uruguay from 1943 to 1946.

In 1948 he died of an illness in Montevideo.

Legacy

Baldomir's actions to identity Uruguay with the Allied cause in World War II have lessened his reputation as a controversial historical figure. It may be noted that he was a leading supporter of the previous President of Uruguay Gabriel Terra, who ruled by decree.

See also

• Constitution of Uruguay of 1942
• Politics of Uruguay