Clemente Vázquez Bello (23 November 1887 – 28 September 1932) was President of the

Cuban Senate The Congress of Cuba () was the legislature of Republic of Cuba (1902–1959), Cuba from 20 May 1902 until the Cuban Revolution of 1959. The Congress consisted of the 130-member Chamber of Representatives (''Cámara de Representantes'') and the ...

from 1925 to 1932, throughout the administration of

Gerardo Machado Gerardo Machado y Morales (28 September 1869 – 29 March 1939) was a general of the Cuban War of Independence and President of Cuba from 1925 to 1933. Machado was elected president in 1924 as the leader of the Liberal Party, a moderate reform ...

, the Cuban President. Vázquez belonged to the

Liberal Party of Cuba The Liberal Party of Cuba (), was one of the major political parties in Cuba from 1910 until the Cuban Revolution in the late 1950s, when it was exiled. History Liberal governments Founded as the Autonomist Liberal Party (, PLA), in 1878 and rena ...

and was a key figure in the Machado regime during the 1920s and early 1930s. From the time he was 23, Vásquez held local office in Santa Clara. He served in the Cuban House of Representatives and was elected as its president from 1923 to 1925. He was elected to the

during the November 1924 elections as

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

for the province of Santa Clara. By 1927 he was president of the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

and President of the Senate. In 1930, he responded to the

economic crisis A financial crisis is any of a broad variety of situations in which some financial assets suddenly lose a large part of their nominal value. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many financial crises were associated with banking panics, and ma ...

posed by an oversupply of

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...

by proposing a law for a "national fuel", that is, requiring Cubans to use motor oil based on a mixture of

gasoline Gasoline ( North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When for ...

and alcohol made from sugar. In 1931, he defended Machado from charges that he was responsible for the depression and predicted that the development of more efficient use of sugar by-products would relieve the economic crisis in the sugar market. He minimized the significance of an attempt to overthrow the government in December 1930: "Many men have deserted their party organizations and refuse to abide by party control, but in my opinion these will tire of offering resistance to constituted authority." Vázquez was a key figure in the Machado administration and a likely candidate for the presidency of

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

in the 1934 elections when he was assassinated by members of the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

(''abecedarios'') on the afternoon of 28 September 1932. Vázquez, riding in his limousine in

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.operating table at Camp Columbia Military Hospital. Several other political figures were murdered later the same day, apparently in retaliation and on Machado's orders, including three brothers: Representative Gonzalo Freyre de Andrade, Guillermo Freyre de Andrade, an attorney, and , a sugar engineer opposed to Machado's plans for the sugar economy. Representative Miguel Angel Aguiar, who had participated in the unsuccessful revolt against the Machado government in August 1931, was shot four times but survived. Vázquez was buried on 29 September in Santa Clara, Cuba. The radical group known as

had planned to assassinate Machado at Vásquez' funeral in

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Consuelo was elected to House of Representatives in 1936 as one of the first group of women to enter Congress.Mujeres en el Congreso
Juventud Rebelde, 12 April 2015

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vazquez, Clemente Place of birth missing 1887 births 1932 deaths Speakers of the House of Representatives of Cuba Presidents of the Senate of Cuba Liberal Party of Cuba politicians Assassinated Cuban politicians People murdered in Cuba Government ministers of Cuba Cuban senators People from Santa Clara, Cuba Politicians assassinated in the 1930s Assassinated legislative speakers