List of presidents of Uruguay

Uruguay is a presidential republic in which the president is both the head of state and head of government. The following is a list of all the people who have held the office of President of Uruguay since 6 November 1830 (when the first constitution was adopted), with the exception of those who held the office of "President" under the National Council of Government, which served as the country's executive directory from 1955 to 1967. The first president of this list is Fructuoso Rivera, who held the office twice and once as part of the Triumvirate that ruled the country from 1853 to 1854.

Most of the presidents of Uruguay have belonged to the Colorado Party, a traditionally conservative party founded by Rivera in 1836. The first free democratic elections for president were held in 1922. The current president is Luis Lacalle Pou of the National Party, who was elected in the 2019 presidential election.

Governors of Uruguay as a province

Oriental Province (1814–1817)

Province part of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officeNotes
1 Nicolás Rodríguez Peña
(1775–1853)
9 July 181425 August 1814Governor. Appointed by Gervasio Antonio de Posadas, Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.
2 Miguel Estanislao Soler
(1783–1849)
25 August 181425 February 1815Governor.
3 Fernando Otorgués [es]
(1774–1831)
26 February 1815July 1815Governor. Appointed by José Gervasio Artigas.
4 Miguel Barreiro [es]
(1789–1848)
July 181520 January 1817Governor. Appointed by José Gervasio Artigas.

Cisplatine Province (1817–1828)

After the Portuguese conquest of the Banda Oriental the Oriental Province became a province of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves and a province of the Empire of Brazil after 1822.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officeNotes
5 Carlos Frederico Lecor
(1764–1836)
20 January 18173 February 1826Governor.
6 Francisco de Paula Magessi Tavares de Carvalho [pt]
(1769–1847)
3 February 182627 August 1828Governor.

Oriental Province (1825–1828)

In the Congress of Florida the Oriental Province declared independence from the Empire of Brazil and reunited with the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officeNotes
7 Juan Antonio Lavalleja
(1784–1853)
19 September 18255 July 1826Governor. Appointed by the Congress of Florida.
8 Joaquín Suárez
(1781–1868)
5 July 182612 October 1827Governor.
9 Luis Eduardo Pérez
(1774–1841)
12 October 182727 August 1828Governor. Appointed by Juan Antonio Lavalleja.

Heads of state of Uruguay as an independent country

Government and Provisional General Captaincy of the Oriental State of Uruguay (1828–1830)

After the Preliminary Peace Convention the Oriental Province gained effective independence from the Empire of Brazil and the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officeNotes
(9) Luis Eduardo Pérez
(1774–1841)
27 August 18281 December 1828Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by Juan Antonio Lavalleja.
(8) Joaquín Suárez
(1781–1868)
2 December 182822 December 1828Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by the General Constituent Assembly.
10 José Rondeau
(1775–1844)
22 December 1828 [1]17 April 1830 [2]Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by the General Constituent Assembly. Resigned.
(7) Juan Antonio Lavalleja
(1784–1853)
17 April 183028 June 1830Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by the General Constituent Assembly.

Oriental State of Uruguay (1830–1919)

The Constitution of 1830 comes into force.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePartyElectedNotes
(7) Juan Antonio Lavalleja
(1784–1853)
28 June 183024 October 1830Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by the General Constituent Assembly.
(9) Luis Eduardo Pérez
(1774–1841)
24 October 18306 November 1830President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
10 Fructuoso Rivera
(1784–1854)
6 November 183024 October 183418301st Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned.
11 Carlos Anaya
(1777–1862)
24 October 18341 March 1835ColoradoPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
12 Manuel Oribe
(1792–1857)
1 March 183524 October 1838National18352nd Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned.
13 Gabriel Antonio Pereira
(1794–1861)
24 October 18381 March 1839ColoradoPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
10 Fructuoso Rivera
(1784–1854)
1 March 18391 March 1843Colorado18393rd Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
12 Manuel Oribe
(1792–1857)
16 February 18438 October 1851NationalSelf-proclaimed president of the Gobierno del Cerrito, during the Uruguayan Civil War.
8 Joaquín Suárez
(1781–1868)
1 March 184315 February 1852ColoradoPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. President of the Gobierno de la Defensa, during the Uruguayan Civil War.
14 Bernardo Prudencio Berro
(1803–1868)
15 February 18521 March 1852NationalPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
15 Juan Francisco Giró
(1791–1863)
1 March 185225 September 1853National18524th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Ousted from office by a coup d'état.
16 Venancio Flores
(1808–1868)
25 September 185312 March 1854ColoradoTriumvirate. Fructuoso Rivera and Juan Antonio Lavalleja died in office.
10 Fructuoso Rivera
(1784–1854)
25 September 185313 January 1854Colorado
7 Juan Antonio Lavalleja
(1784–1853)
25 September 185322 October 1853
16 Venancio Flores
(1808–1868)
12 March 185410 September 1855Colorado18545th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned.
17Luis María Lamas
(1793–1864)
29 August 185510 September 1855ConservativeSelf-proclaimed president after the Rebellion of the Conservatives [es].
18 Manuel Basilio Bustamante
(1785–1863)
10 September 185515 February 1856ColoradoPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
19José María Plá [es]
(1794–1869)
15 February 18561 March 1856ColoradoPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
13 Gabriel Antonio Pereira
(1794–1861)
1 March 18561 March 1860Colorado18566th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
14 Bernardo Prudencio Berro
(1803–1868)
1 March 18601 March 1864National18607th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
20 Atanasio Cruz Aguirre
(1801–1875)
1 March 186415 February 1865NationalPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. Resigned after the Brazilian invasion.
21 Tomás Villalba
(1805–1886)
15 February 186520 February 1865NationalPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. Resigned after the Brazilian invasion.
16 Venancio Flores
(1808–1868)
20 February 186515 February 1868ColoradoDe facto president after the Brazilian invasion. Assumed power as Provisional Governor for 3 years.
22 Pedro Varela
(1837–1906)
15 February 18681 March 1868ColoradoPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
23 Lorenzo Batlle
(1810–1887)
1 March 18681 March 1872Colorado18688th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
24 Tomás Gomensoro Albín
(1810–1900)
1 March 18721 March 1873ColoradoPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
25 José Eugenio Ellauri
(1834–1894)
1 March 187322 January 1875Colorado18739th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned.
22 Pedro Varela
(1837–1906)
22 January 187510 March 1876Colorado10th Constitutional President, appointed by the General Assembly after the resignation of Ellauri. Ousted by a coup d'état.
Lorenzo Latorre
(1844–1916)
10 March 18761 March 1879ColoradoAssumed power as Provisional Governor.
261 March 187915 March 1880187911th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned.
27 Francisco Antonino Vidal
(1825–1889)
15 March 18801 March 1882Colorado12th Constitutional President, appointed as president by the General Assembly to finish the presidential period 1879–1883. Resigned.
28 Máximo Santos
(1847–1889)
1 March 18821 March 1886Colorado13th Constitutional President, appointed by the General Assembly for a term of 4 years.
27 Francisco Antonino Vidal
(1825–1889)
1 March 188624 May 1886Colorado188614th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned.
28 Máximo Santos
(1847–1889)
24 May 188618 November 1886ColoradoPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. Resigned.
29 Máximo Tajes
(1852–1912)
18 November 18861 March 1890Colorado15th Constitutional President, appointed as president by the General Assembly to finish the presidential period 1886–1890.
30 Julio Herrera y Obes
(1841–1912)
1 March 18901 March 1894Colorado189016th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
31 Duncan Stewart
(1833–1923)
1 March 189421 March 1894ColoradoPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
32 Juan Idiarte Borda
(1844–1897)
21 March 189425 August 1897Colorado189417th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Assassinated.
33 Juan Lindolfo Cuestas
(1837–1905)
25 August 189710 February 1898ColoradoPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
10 February 189815 February 1899De facto president following a self-coup. Resigned.
34 José Batlle y Ordóñez
(1856–1929)
15 February 18991 March 1899ColoradoPresident of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
33 Juan Lindolfo Cuestas
(1837–1905)
1 March 18991 March 1903Colorado189918th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
34 José Batlle y Ordóñez
(1856–1929)
1 March 19031 March 1907Colorado190319th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
35 Claudio Williman
(1861–1934)
1 March 19071 March 1911Colorado190720th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
34 José Batlle y Ordóñez
(1856–1929)
1 March 19111 March 1915Colorado191121st Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
36 Feliciano Viera
(1872–1927)
1 March 19151 March 1919Colorado191522nd Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.

Oriental Republic of Uruguay (1919–present)

The Constitution of 1918 comes into force. According to the Constitution, the president is elected by direct popular election for a term of five years. He may be re-elected any number of times, but is ineligible for immediate re-election.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePartyElectedNotesVice President
37 Baltasar Brum
(1883–1933)
1 March 19191 March 1923Colorado191923rd Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. The President served as part of the executive alongside the National Administration Council, headed by a President:Post not established
38 José Serrato
(1868–1960)
1 March 19231 March 1927Colorado192224th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. The President served as part of the executive alongside the National Administration Council, headed by a President:
39 Juan Campisteguy
(1859–1937)
1 March 19271 March 1931Colorado192625th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. The President served as part of the executive alongside the National Administration Council, headed by a President:
40 Gabriel Terra
(1873–1942)
1 March 193131 March 1933Colorado193026th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. The President served as part of the executive alongside the National Administration Council, headed by a President:
4031 March 193318 May 1934De facto president following a self-coup.
18 May 193419 June 1938Provisional president elected by the 3rd National Constituent Convention.Alfredo Navarro
41 Alfredo Baldomir
(1884–1948)
19 June 193821 February 1942Colorado193827th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.César Charlone
21 February 19421 March 1943De facto president following a self-coup.
42 Juan José de Amézaga
(1881–1956)
1 March 19431 March 1947Colorado194228th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.Alberto Guani
43 Tomás Berreta
(1875–1947)
1 March 19472 August 1947Colorado194629th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. Died in office.Luis Batlle Berres
44 Luis Batlle Berres
(1897–1964)
2 August 19471 March 1951Colorado30th Constitutional President. Vice-president under Berreta, assumed the presidency after his death.Alfeo Brum
45 Andrés Martínez Trueba
(1884–1959)
1 March 19511 March 1952Colorado195031st Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. The post of President was replaced by the National Council of Government.
46 National Council of Government 1952–19551 March 19521 March 1955ColoradoThe National Council of Government was headed by a President for the remaining of the 1951–1955 period:Post abolished
47 National Council of Government 1955–19591 March 19551 March 1959Colorado1954The National Council of Government was headed by a President rotating every year:
48 National Council of Government 1959–19631 March 19591 March 1963National1958The National Council of Government was headed by a President rotating every year:
49 National Council of Government 1963–671 March 19631 March 1967National1962The National Council of Government was headed by a President rotating every year:
50 Óscar Diego Gestido
(1901–1967)
1 March 19676 December 1967Colorado196632nd Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. Died in office.Jorge Pacheco Areco
51 Jorge Pacheco Areco
(1920–1998)
6 December 19671 March 1972Colorado33rd Constitutional President. Vice-president under Gestido, assumed the presidency after his death.Alberto Abdala
52 Juan María Bordaberry
(1928–2011)
1 March 197227 June 1973Colorado197134th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.Jorge Sapelli
5227 June 197312 June 19761973 Uruguayan coup d'état, start of the dictatorship between 1973 and 1985. Ousted from office.Vacant
53 Alberto Demicheli
(1896–1980)
12 June 19761 September 1976ColoradoAppointed by the Armed Forces. Ousted from office.
54 Aparicio Méndez
(1904–1988)
1 September 19761 September 1981NationalAppointed by the Armed Forces for a term of 5 years.
55 Gregorio Álvarez
(1925–2016)
1 September 198112 February 1985MilitaryAppointed by the Armed Forces. Resigned.
56 Rafael Addiego
(1923–2014)
12 February 19851 March 1985Civic UnionPresident of the Supreme Court, appointed by the Armed Forces.
57 Julio María Sanguinetti
(born 1936)
1 March 19851 March 1990Colorado198435th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. First democratic President after the 1973-1985 dictatorship.Enrique Tarigo
58 Luis Alberto Lacalle
(born 1941)
1 March 19901 March 1995National198936th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.Gonzalo Aguirre Ramírez
59 Julio María Sanguinetti
(born 1936)
1 March 19951 March 2000Colorado199437th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.Hugo Batalla
Hugo Fernández Faingold
60 Jorge Batlle
(1927–2016)
1 March 20001 March 2005Colorado199938th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.Luis Antonio Hierro López
61 Tabaré Vázquez
(1940–2020)
1 March 20051 March 2010Broad Front200439th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.Rodolfo Nin Novoa
62 José Mujica
(born 1935)
1 March 20101 March 2015Broad Front200940th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.Danilo Astori
63 Tabaré Vázquez
(1940–2020)
1 March 20151 March 2020Broad Front201441st Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.[3]Raúl Sendic Rodríguez
Lucía Topolansky
64 Luis Lacalle Pou
(born 1973)
1 March 2020Incumbent
(Term ends on 1 March 2025)
National201942nd Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.[4]Beatriz Argimón

Timeline

Luis Lacalle PouJosé MujicaTabaré VázquezJorge BatlleLuis Alberto LacalleJulio María SanguinettiRafael Addiego BrunoGregorio ÁlvarezAparicio MéndezAlberto DemicheliJuan María BordaberryJorge Pacheco ArecoÓscar Diego GestidoAlberto HéberWashington BeltránLuis GiannattasioDaniel Fernández CrespoFaustino HarrisonEduardo Víctor HaedoBenito NardoneMartín R. EchegoyenCarlos FischerArturo LezamaAlberto Fermín ZubiríaAndrés Martínez TruebaLuis Batlle BerresTomás BerretaJuan José de AmézagaAlfredo BaldomirGabriel TerraJuan CampisteguyJosé SerratoBaltasar BrumFeliciano VieraClaudio WillimanJosé Batlle y OrdóñezJuan Lindolfo CuestasJuan Idiarte BordaDuncan StewartJulio Herrera y ObesMáximo TajesMáximo SantosFrancisco Antonino VidalLorenzo LatorreJosé Eugenio EllauriTomás GomensoroLorenzo BatllePedro VarelaTomás VillalbaAtanasio Cruz AguirreJosé María PláManuel Basilio BustamanteLuis LamasVenancio FloresJuan Francisco GiróBernardo Prudencio BerroGabriel Antonio PereiraManuel OribeCarlos AnayaFructuoso RiveraJuan Antonio LavallejaJosé RondeauJoaquín SuárezLuis Eduardo Pérez

See also

References

Bibliography

  • Reyes Abadie, Washington; Vázquez Romero, Andrés (1986). Crónica general del Uruguay (in Spanish). Vol. 2. Montevideo: Ediciones de la Banda Oriental.