Julián Castro

Infobox_President | name=Julián Castro


order=15th President of Venezuela
term_start=March 18, 1858
term_end=August 2, 1859
predecessor=Pedro Gual Escandon
successor= Pedro Gual Escandon
birth_date= c.1810
birth_place= Petare, Miranda
death_date= death date|1875|6|12|mf=y
death_place= Valencia, Carabobo
spouse= María Nieves Briceño
religion=Roman Catholic

|

Julián Castro Contreras (c. 1810–June 12, 1875) was a Venezuelan military officer and President of Venezuela between 1858 and 1859.

He was presumably born in Petare circa 1810, although this date is not certain. His parents were Juan Manuel Castro and Margarita Contreras. He had a brother, Inocente Castro. He joined the Army and in 1830 he held the rank of Alférez (Second Lieutenant in modern military hierarchy). In 1835, as Captain, he took part in the Revolution of Reforms which withdrew President José María Vargas from power. Defeated the coup, he was imprisoned, but released some years later. Then, he and his brother moved to Bejuma (Carabobo State). He married María Nieves Briceño, natural daughter of José Laurencio Silva, a hero of the Venezuelan War of Independence, and had four sons: Julián, Inocente, Ramón and Francisco de Paula.

From the rise of José Tadeo Monagas to the Presidency in 1847, Castro began to promote in the military system: in 1849 he was promoted to Commander (now Major). In 1849 was commissioned to fight against José Antonio Páez, who led an insurrection against Monagas, and gained some reputation of courageous. After several promotions, he arose the rank of General de Brigada (Brigadier General) in 1853; the next year, he was appointed Military Commander (Comandante de Armas) of Valencia. In April, 1856, Monagas appointed Castro as Governor of Carabobo and promoted him to General de División (Major General).

In March, 1858, he led a movement against Monagas, who quit as President on March 15. Castro assumed as President on March 18. His presidency was very troubled, with some scandals (the Urrutia Protocol affair, among others), coup attempts and the beginning of the Federal War (February 1859), led by Ezequiel Zamora and Juan Crisóstomo Falcón.

On August 2, 1859, he was imprisoned by some military officers, including the Military Commander of Caracas, Manuel de las Casas, forcing him to quit. He remained in prison and was tried by the Venezuelan Congress in July 1860, who found him guilty of treason, but without a punishment. After the trial, Castro left Venezuela.

Castro returned Venezuela in 1870, just before the Revolution of April led by Antonio Guzmán Blanco, joining it, and remained in the Venezuelan Army until his death. He died in Valencia, on June 12, 1875.

References

* Harvard reference
Surname1=Straka
Given1=Tomás
Title=Julián Castro
Publisher=Biblioteca Biográfica Venezolana
Year=2007
ID=ISBN 980-395-106-8

External links

* [http://www.venezuelatuya.com/biografias/castrojulian.htm Julián Castro]

See also

*Venezuela
*Presidents of Venezuela