Alberto Demicheli

Captain Alberto Demicheli
Demicheli, c. 1930s
Interim President de facto of Uruguay
2nd President of the Civic-Military Dictatorship
In office 12 June – 1 September 1976
Vice President	Vacant
Preceded by	Juan María Bordaberry
Succeeded by	Aparicio Méndez
Chairman of Atlético Peñarol
In office 1933–1934
Preceded by	Juan Antonio Scasso
Succeeded by	Pedro Viapina
Personal details
Born	(1896-08-07)7 August 1896 Rocha, Uruguay
Died	12 October 1980(1980-10-12) (aged 84) Montevideo, Uruguay
Political party	Colorado Party
Spouse	Sofía Álvarez Vignoli
Children	2
Parents	Pedro Gerónimo Demicheli Mussio (Father) Balbina Lizaso Ballarena (Mother)
Alma mater	University of the Republic
Occupation	Politician, Lawyer, Historian, Journalist, Pilot, Military officer
Military service
Allegiance	Uruguay
Branch/service	Uruguayan Armed Forces Uruguayan Air Force
Years of service	1918–1960
Rank	Captain (Army) Captain (Air Force)
Commands	Uruguayan Army (June–September 1976)

Alberto Pedro Demicheli Lizaso (7 August 1896 – 12 October 1980) was a Uruguayan politician, lawyer, historian, journalist, pilot, and military officer who was the Interim de facto President of Uruguay and the 2nd President of the Civic-Military Dictatorship from June to September 1976. He was also the Chairman of the Football Club Atlético Peñarol from 1933 to 1934.

He was a noted jurist and economist and previously served as interior minister under President Gabriel Terra.

A member of the Colorado Party, Demicheli was one of a number of civilians who participated in the civilian-military administration which took office following President Juan Maria Bordaberry's coup in 1973.

He succeeded Bordaberry as President in July 1976. Aged 80 by the end of his brief period as President, he was the oldest ever president of Uruguay. While in office he adopted measures designed to liberalize the economy.

Demicheli was a relative moderate within the civilian-military administrations which ruled Uruguay between 1973 and 1985, in that, although he was known for measures deemed repressive by democracy advocates opposed to the government, he dissented with his military colleagues regarding the extent to which former political figures should be proscribed from pursuing political activities: this is believed to have hastened the end of his short term of office as President of Uruguay.

Demicheli handed over his presidential office to Aparicio Méndez in September 1976, who was still serving as president when Demicheli died in 1980.

As with his predecessor Juan Maria Bordaberry, some observers would argue that the close links between leading Colorado party figures such as Demicheli and the military mirror the similar elements present in the Colorado party's founder, the 19th century President and military patriot, Fructuoso Rivera. The preference for rule by decree of nineteenth century Colorado President of Uruguay Venancio Flores would also be a historical case in point, according to this argument. Others would reason that Demicheli was morally repudiating Colorado party ideals in cooperating with the civilian-military administration which took office in 1973.

The fact that the Colorado Demicheli twice in his career exercised ministerial / executive powers at periods when rule by decree was in force arguably illustrates the fact that within the Colorado party there was substantial support for such measures. The tendency of some observers to describe Latin American heads of state who ruled by decree as 'de facto' Presidents may be seen in this light. Others would seek to discount Demicheli's association with the Colorado Party.

His wife, Sofía Álvarez Vignoli de Demicheli, was noted for her diplomatic activity during the presidency of Gabriel Terra, in whose administration Alberto Demicheli also served.

• Politics of Uruguay
• List of political families § Uruguay

• https://web.archive.org/web/20070927003421/http://www.bcu.gub.uy/autoriza/peiees/iees03j3110701.pdf

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• https://web.archive.org/web/20070314012341/http://www.martin.romano.org/wp16/wp16_445.htm
• See also es:Alberto Demicheli (similar Wikipedia article in Spanish)