Herrerismo

Herrerismo, a political movement of Uruguay's Blanco (National) Party, organized around the figure of Luis Alberto de Herrera (1873–1959). The movement was distinguished by conservative and populist paternalism, devotion to its hero, and nationalism. It was the most important political force in the Blanco Party between 1920 and 1960.

Herrera fought in the country's civil wars in 1897 and 1904. With Aparicio Saravia's defeat in 1904, the Blanco Party made its definitive entrance into electoral politics. Herrera was the architect of this transition, in which the old party exchanged "swords for votes." Herrerismo played a key role in the plebiscite that defeated Batllismo in 1916 and was the principal force opposing the ruling Colorado Party in 1922, 1926, 1930, 1942, 1946, and 1950.

In 1933 the movement supported Gabriel Terra's coup and was a principal ally of his regime. Herrerismo symbolized the existence of a popular conservative party and the system of Coparticipación between Blancos and Colorados. Allied with the Ruralista leader Benito Nardone, the movement triumphed in the general elections of 1958. The following year Herrera died while openly opposing his former ally Nardone. Not until 1989 did Herrerismo regroup under Herrera's grandnephew Alberto Lacalle De Herrera, whose neoconservative/neoliberal views won over the majority of his party and triumphed in the national elections.

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

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Carlos Real De Azúa, "Herrera: El colegiado en el Uruguay," in Historia de América en el siglo XX (1972).

Washington Reyes Abadie, Breve historia del Partido Nacional (1989).

Ricardo Rocha Imaz, Los Blancos: De Oribe a Lacalle, 1836–1990 (1990).

Additional Bibliography

Nahum, Benjamín. El Uruguay del siglo XX. Montevideo, Uruguay: Ediciones de la Banda Oriental, 2001.

                                    Fernando Filgueira