Beltrán, Washington (1885–1920)
Beltrán, Washington (1885–1920)
Washington Beltrán (b. 7 February 1885; d. 2 April 1920), Uruguayan lawyer, journalist, and politician. While earning very high grades in Montevideo's National University, School of Law and Social Sciences, Beltrán published several articles of note in scientific and literary journals. Later, he extended his expertise into philosophical and legal terrains, with the publication of articles such as "Los filósofos del siglo XVIII," "El contrato social," and "Fallos de la Alta Corte de Justicia en materia civil, penal, comercial, administrativa y de lo contencioso administrativo" in Buenos Aires's Revista de Derecho between 1908 and 1909. With Carlos Roxlo he directed the newspaper El Civismo and later wrote on political issues for La Democracia and other newspapers. He also served in the Justice Department. As codirector and principal writer of El País, he consistently opposed the socialist and populist program of Colorado Party leader José Batlle y Ordóñez, during Batlle's second term as president from 1911 to 1915. In 1914 Beltrán was elected deputy to the National Congress. Between 1916 and 1917 he served as a member of the National Constituent Assembly, which approved a two-party governing council, the Colegiado, to replace the presidency. Beltrán was killed in 1920 during a pistol duel with Batlle.
See alsoUruguay: Constitutionsxml .
William H. Katra