Fernández Crespo, Daniel (1901–1964)

A Uruguayan educator and leader of the Blanco (National) Party, Daniel Fernández Crespo was born on April 28, 1901, in a rural area of the department of San José. He received his teaching degree and worked in education until 1932. His political career included his election to the town council of Montevideo in 1928, five terms as national representative (1931–1950), a senate seat in 1950, and the role of national adviser in 1954, in which he strove to unify distant sectors of the Blanco Party. Following the end of ninety-three years of government control by the Colorado Party, he presided over the departmental council of Montevideo (1959–1963) and in 1963–1964 served as president of the Consejo Nacional de Gobierno (National Council of Government), a nine-member committee established in 1952 to institutionalize co-participation in the exercise of executive power.

Fernández Crespo personified the popular forces of nationalism in an urban setting, where the Colorado Party, and particularly Batllismo, usually predominated, and was recognized for following Herrerismo, Luis Alberto de Herrera's brand of politics. He focused much of his attention on issues of social justice, especially education, social security, workers' rights, pension benefits, and unemployment aid. He was also an active sports director, associated with the Liverpool soccer club and the Aguada basketball club. He died on July 28, 1964.

See alsoBatllismo; Herrera, Luis Alberto de; Uruguay, Political Parties: Blanco Party; Uruguay, Political Parties: Colorado Party.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cocchi, Angel Mario. Nuestros partidos. Montevideo: CIEP, Departamento de Educación Permanente, 1984.

Pedemonte, Juan Carlos. Los presidentes del Uruguay, 4th edition. Montevideo: Ediciones de la Plaza, 1992.

Pérez, Wilfredo. Grandes figuras blancas (Aportación a sus biografías). Montevideo: Ediciones de la Plaza, 2001.

Scarone, Arturo. Uruguayos contemporáneos: Nuevo diccionario de datos biográficos. Montevideo: A. Barreiro y Ramos, 1937.

                                      JosÉ de Torres Wilson

                                      William G. Acree Jr.