Background
Juan Esteban Montero Rodríguez was born on 12 February1880 in Santiago.
government official politician president
Juan Esteban Montero Rodríguez was born on 12 February1880 in Santiago.
In October 1925 on behalf of the Radicals he signed the agreement of most of the country’s parties to support the candidacy of Emiliano Figueroa Larrain, in an effort to thwart the presidential aspirations of Colonel Carlos Ibáñez del Campo. Then, in July 1931, two weeks before the fall of Ibáñez, he became minister of interior and sought to dismantle many of the authoritarian aspects of that regime, efforts that gained him considerable popularity. With Ibáñez’ resignation on July 26, Montero became vice president (acting president), resigning on August 20 to be a candidate in the coming presidential election. He was supported by the Radical Party as well as by the Conservatives and Liberals.
As president, Montero had to face the worst period of the Great Depression. Social and economic discontent, together with violent political controversy over his refusal to dissolve the Congress he had inherited from the Ibanez dictatorship, culminated in his overthrow on June 4, 1952. He played no further role in politics.
