Background
Luis Batlle Berres was born on 27 November, 1897 in Montevideo. He was A nephew of José Batlle y Ordóñez.
politician president public official
Luis Batlle Berres was born on 27 November, 1897 in Montevideo. He was A nephew of José Batlle y Ordóñez.
Batlle Berres graduated from the Law Faculty of the University of Montevideo.
As a youth, he joined the editorial staff of his uncle’s newspaper, El Día. Between 1923 and 1933 he was a member of the Chamber of Deputies. In the latter year, he accused President Gabriel Terra of dictatorial ambitions, as a result of which he was expelled from the Chamber, jailed, and finally exiled until 1936. He then returned to the Chamber of Deputies and became president of the Chamber in 1942, serving until 1946. In 1946 he was elected vice president and succeeded President Tomás Berreta when Berreta died in 1947.
In spite of President Batlle Berres’ opposition, his uncle’s program for a “collegiate” presidency of nine members was adopted at the end of the Batlle Berres presidential term. He continued to struggle for reestablishment of a unitary presidency, which occurred only after his death. During his last years, he was leader of the largest of the many factions of the Colorado Party, as well as being editor of his own newspaper, Acción.
