Prieto Figueroa, Luis Beltrán (1902–1978)

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Prieto Figueroa, Luis Beltrán (1902–1978)

Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa (b. 1902; d. after 1978), Venezuelan political leader. Founder and head of the Venezuelan Teachers Federation, Prieto subsequently was one of the founders and principal leaders of Democratic Action (Acción Democrática, AD). A leader of the revolution that overthrew President Isaías Medina Angarita (1945), he later was a member of the revolutionary junta, serving as education minister. In exile during the military dictatorship (1948–1958), Prieto returned to Venezuela to become, first, secretary-general and, later, president of AD. He also held a Senate seat. In 1968 he left AD to form the Electoral Movement of the People. He lost bids for the presidency in 1968, 1973, and 1978.

See alsoVenezuela, Political Parties: Democratic Action (AD) .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Robert J. Alexander, ed., Biographical Dictionary of Latin American and Caribbean Political Leaders (1988).

Joaquín Soler Serrano, Venezolanos a fondo (1990); pp. 193-206.

Additional Bibliography

Luque, Guillermo. Prieto Figueroa, maestro de América: Su labor pedagógica y gremial por la Escuela Nueva en Venezuela. Caracas: Fondo Editorial de la Facultad de Humanidades y Educación, Universidad Central de Venezuela, 2002.

Subero, Efraín. Historia de un maestro que quiso ser: Vida y obra de Luis Beltrán Prieto Figueroa. Caracas: Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador, 2001.

                                    Winfield J. Burggraaff

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