Juan Lindolfo de los Reyes Cuestas (6 January 1837 – 21 June 1905) was a Uruguayan politician who served as the 18th

President of Uruguay The president of Uruguay (), officially known as the president of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay (), is the head of state and head of government of Uruguay. The president presides over the Cabinet of Uruguay, Council of Ministers, directing ...

from 1897 until 1899 and for a second term from 1899 to 1903.

Background

Juan Lindolfo Cuestas was a prominent member of the Uruguayan Colorado Party, which dominated the country's politics for over a century. He was

Minister of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfolio ...

from 1875 to 1876 and from 1880 to 1882. He served as Minister of Justice and Education from 1884 to 1886. His son, Juan Cuestas, was a diplomat.

President of Uruguay

First term

Lindolfo Cuestas first assumed the Presidency in crisis circumstances . On August 25, 1897 the sitting

Juan Idiarte Borda Juan Bautista Idiarte Borda y Soumastre (April 20, 1844 – August 25, 1897) was the 17th President of Uruguay. He is the only Uruguayan president to be assassinated in office. Background Originating from the Uruguayan department of Soriano, w ...

was assassinated by a gunman,

Avelino Arredondo Avelino Arredondo was an Uruguayan assassin of Basque origin. Background Arredondo was a strong supporter of a rival faction of the ruling Colorado Party government of Uruguayan president Juan Idiarte Borda. An apparent attempt was made on th ...

. Lindolfo Cuestas as the President of the Senate of Uruguay became president. Within two years Lindolfo Cuestas had ceded the Presidency to

José Batlle y Ordóñez José Pablo Torcuato Batlle y Ordóñez ( or ; 23 May 1856 – 20 October 1929), nicknamed ''Don Pepe'', was a prominent Uruguayan politician who served two terms as President of Uruguay for the Colorado Party. The son of a former president, ...

on an interim basis.

Second term

He soon reassumed the office, however, and served until 1903, when he again stepped down in favour of

Political background

Lindolfo Cuestas's periods of Presidential office were characterized by crises, not only originating from the assassination of Idiarte, but also by internal dissension within the Colorado Party and by strife with the Opposition Blanco Party, which continued to propel the country into outbreaks of the intermittent Civil War which beset

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 ...

throughout the mid- to late- 19th century. In 1898, as noted by one study, Cuestas “dissolved the chambers that had been elected with notorious vices of fraud. By dissolving the chambers, he convenes a state council with legislative powers and with representatives of the three parties that were active at that time: Colorado, national and constitutional. This state council approved an electoral reform that gave representation to minorities and mandated the formation of the permanent Civic Registry.” BATLLE Y ORDOÑEZ GOBERNANTE 1898 – 1929 Guía de contenidos, P.1
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Post presidency

After relinquishing the Presidency for the second time, in 1903, the country soon slipped into civil war, the decisive battle of which was the

Battle of Masoller The Battle of Masoller, which occurred on September 1, 1904, was the final battle of the Aparicio Saravia, Aparicio Saravia revolt, resulting in the victory of the Colorado Party (Uruguay), Colorado forces. Location and historical background Ma ...

in 1904. Lindolfo Cuestas died in 1905.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuestas, Juan Lindolfo People from Paysandú Presidents of Uruguay Presidents of the Senate of Uruguay Education and culture ministers of Uruguay Uruguayan people of Spanish descent 1837 births 1905 deaths Ministers of economy and finance of Uruguay Colorado Party (Uruguay) politicians