Federico Chaves
Paraguayan political and military figure
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Federico Chaves Careaga (15 February 1882[1] – 24 April 1978) was a Paraguayan politician and soldier who served as President of Paraguay from 10 September 1949 to 4 May 1954. He was a member of the Colorado Party.
Federico Chaves | |
|---|---|
 Chaves in 1950 | |
| 40th President of Paraguay | |
| In office 10 September 1949 – 4 May 1954 | |
| Preceded by | Felipe Molas |
| Succeeded by | Tomás Romero (interim president) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Federico Chaves Careaga 15 February 1882 |
| Died | 24 April 1978 (aged 96) |
| Party | Colorado Party |
Early life
Chaves was born on 15 February 1882, in Paraguarí. His parents were the Portuguese Federico Chaves and his wife Felicia Careaga, from Guaira, Paraguay.[2]
Political history
Chaves, who received his law degree in 1905, was a longtime leader of the right-of-centre National Republican Association, better known as the Colorado Party.[3] When his party served in a coalition government in 1946, Chaves was appointed to the Supreme Court. He served as Paraguay's foreign minister from 1947.[3] He was elected in April 1949 as President of the Chamber of Representatives,[4][5][6] and kept that post until he became president in September 1949. He was elected for a three-year term in 1950 and later reelected in 1953. When Chaves tried to strengthen his regime by arming the national police in 1954, a coup d'état led by General Alfredo Stroessner on May 4 ended his administration.
Death
Chaves died on 24 April 1978 at the age of 96 in the city of Asunción, from natural causes. He was buried with full state honours; Stroessner attended the services. From the death of Ecuadorian President Isidro Ayora on 22 March 1978 until his own death, he was the oldest living state leader.
