The September 1958 military uprising in Venezuela (Spanish: Alzamiento militar del 7 de septiembre de 1958) was an attempted military revolt in Caracas against the governing junta of Venezuela, headed by Rear Admiral Wolfgang Larrazábal, that took place on 7 September 1958, several months after the 23 January coup that had overthrown the dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez. The uprising failed to gather sufficient support and was suppressed. Its participants were brought before military justice, while others sought asylum in foreign embassies.[1]
| September 1958 military uprising in Venezuela | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Clashes in Caracas during the uprising | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
|
Interim government of Wolfgang Larrazábal Civilian demonstrators |
National Guard Military Police of Caracas | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Wolfgang Larrazábal |
Juan de Dios Moncada Vidal José Ely Mendoza Méndez | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
19 killed 100+ wounded | |||||||
Background
editAfter the coup d'état of 23 January 1958 against the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez and his subsequent departure from the country, a governing junta was established in Venezuela, headed by Rear Admiral Wolfgang Larrazábal.[1] In its first months in office, the junta set up an investigative commission to review the conduct of officers of the military dictatorship, leading to the confiscation of Pérez Jiménez's assets. Political parties were legalised, elections were announced and exiled political leaders returned to the country. In March, the Drafting Commission of the Electoral Statute was appointed, composed of representatives of all the national political forces.[1]
During this period, internal disputes arose within the Armed Forces: one led by Colonel Hugo Trejo, who had not joined the junta despite having been a precursor of the rebellion against Pérez Jiménez, and another by the Minister of Defence himself, General Jesús María Castro León, who began to disagree with the junta's decisions and advocated a full separation between the military and civilians. Trejo accepted the position of Venezuelan ambassador to Costa Rica, while Castro León continued to conspire against the government.[1]
On 23 July, a political crisis began when the Minister of Defence delivered to the junta a list of demands signed by about a hundred military officers. The demands included the renewed banning of Acción Democrática and the Communist Party of Venezuela, press censorship, postponement of the elections for three years, and the formation of a new government under military oversight.[1] Students and political parties opposed the petitions; negotiations began, and Castro León chose to resign as minister rather than confront his supporters with those of the government. The following day he was expelled from the country together with a group of allied officers.[1][2]
Uprising
editOn 7 September 1958, Lieutenant Colonels Juan de Dios Moncada Vidal and José Ely Mendoza Méndez led a military uprising in Caracas.[3] The rebels seized the facilities of the Ministry of Defence, Military Police Garrison No. 2 (located opposite the Miraflores Palace) and several radio stations. They had the support of the National Guard and the Military Police of Caracas, and believed they would also be backed by other garrisons and military units; however, the support was insufficient for the success of the uprising.[1][3] Upon learning of the military uprising, thousands of people gathered at the presidential palace to confront the rebellion.[4] The Unified National Trade Union Committee announced an indefinite general strike and the occupation of the streets of Caracas in response. Fighting took place from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., with civilians participating; they twice broke into the Military Police barracks, a strategic point held by the rebels. The uprising left a final toll of 19 dead and more than 100 wounded.[3][5]
Major Luis Alberto Vivas Ramírez, a participant in the uprising, stated that the rebels wished to express solidarity with the group of officers who had been expelled in July and to voice rejection of the junta, "because it was leading the country to economic ruin and the Armed Forces to division".[3]
Aftermath
editSignificance
editThe 7 September uprising was the second major military challenge faced by the Larrazábal junta in 1958, following the failed July movement led by Castro León. The defeat of the uprising consolidated the junta's authority for the remainder of its transitional mandate and allowed the December 1958 general elections to proceed as scheduled, contributing to the inauguration of the Punto Fijo era of Venezuelan democracy.[1]
See also
editReferences
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Arráiz Lucca, Rafael (2007). Venezuela: 1830 a nuestros días (in Spanish). Titivillus. pp. 152–154.
- ↑ "Castro León, Jesús María". Fundación Empresas Polar (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "1958 – Cronología de historia de Venezuela". Fundación Empresas Polar (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 November 2022.
- ↑ "Caracas". Fundación Empresas Polar (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 November 2022.
- ↑ #Documental – Rómulo Resiste (in Spanish). Cinesa Channel. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022 – via YouTube.
External links
edit- #Documental – Rómulo Resiste (in Spanish). Cinesa Channel. 4 February 2022 – via YouTube.