List of presidents of Uruguay

Uruguay is a presidential republic in which the president is both the head of state and head of government. The following is a list of all the people who have held the office of President of Uruguay since 6 November 1830 (when the first constitution was adopted), with the exception of those who held the office of "President" under the National Council of Government, which served as the country's executive directory from 1955 to 1967. The first president of this list is Fructuoso Rivera, who held the office twice and once as part of the Triumvirate that ruled the country from 1853 to 1854.

Most of the presidents of Uruguay have belonged to the Colorado Party, a traditionally conservative party founded by Rivera in 1836. The first free democratic elections for president were held in 1922. The current president is Luis Lacalle Pou of the National Party, who was elected in the 2019 presidential election.

Governors of Uruguay as a province

Oriental Province (1814–1817)

Province part of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.

No.	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Notes
1	Nicolás Rodríguez Peña (1775–1853)	9 July 1814	25 August 1814	Governor. Appointed by Gervasio Antonio de Posadas, Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.
2	Miguel Estanislao Soler (1783–1849)	25 August 1814	25 February 1815	Governor.
3	Fernando Otorgués [es] (1774–1831)	26 February 1815	July 1815	Governor. Appointed by José Gervasio Artigas.
4	Miguel Barreiro [es] (1789–1848)	July 1815	20 January 1817	Governor. Appointed by José Gervasio Artigas.

Cisplatine Province (1817–1828)

After the Portuguese conquest of the Banda Oriental the Oriental Province became a province of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves and a province of the Empire of Brazil after 1822.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Notes
5		Carlos Frederico Lecor (1764–1836)	20 January 1817	3 February 1826	Governor.
6		Francisco de Paula Magessi Tavares de Carvalho [pt] (1769–1847)	3 February 1826	27 August 1828	Governor.

Oriental Province (1825–1828)

In the Congress of Florida the Oriental Province declared independence from the Empire of Brazil and reunited with the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.

No.	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Notes
7	Juan Antonio Lavalleja (1784–1853)	19 September 1825	5 July 1826	Governor. Appointed by the Congress of Florida.
8	Joaquín Suárez (1781–1868)	5 July 1826	12 October 1827	Governor.
9	Luis Eduardo Pérez (1774–1841)	12 October 1827	27 August 1828	Governor. Appointed by Juan Antonio Lavalleja.

Heads of state of Uruguay as an independent country

Government and Provisional General Captaincy of the Oriental State of Uruguay (1828–1830)

After the Preliminary Peace Convention the Oriental Province gained effective independence from the Empire of Brazil and the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.

No.	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Notes
(9)	Luis Eduardo Pérez (1774–1841)	27 August 1828	1 December 1828	Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by Juan Antonio Lavalleja.
(8)	Joaquín Suárez (1781–1868)	2 December 1828	22 December 1828	Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by the General Constituent Assembly.
10	José Rondeau (1775–1844)	22 December 1828 ^[1]	17 April 1830 ^[2]	Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by the General Constituent Assembly. Resigned.
(7)	Juan Antonio Lavalleja (1784–1853)	17 April 1830	28 June 1830	Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by the General Constituent Assembly.

Oriental State of Uruguay (1830–1919)

The Constitution of 1830 comes into force.

No.	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Elected	Notes
(7)	Juan Antonio Lavalleja (1784–1853)	28 June 1830	24 October 1830	—	—	Governor and Provisional Captain General. Appointed by the General Constituent Assembly.
(9)	Luis Eduardo Pérez (1774–1841)	24 October 1830	6 November 1830	—	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
10	Fructuoso Rivera (1784–1854)	6 November 1830	24 October 1834	—	1830	1st Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned.
11	Carlos Anaya (1777–1862)	24 October 1834	1 March 1835	Colorado	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
12	Manuel Oribe (1792–1857)	1 March 1835	24 October 1838	National	1835	2nd Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned.
13	Gabriel Antonio Pereira (1794–1861)	24 October 1838	1 March 1839	Colorado	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
10	Fructuoso Rivera (1784–1854)	1 March 1839	1 March 1843	Colorado	1839	3rd Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
12	Manuel Oribe (1792–1857)	16 February 1843	8 October 1851	National	—	Self-proclaimed president of the Gobierno del Cerrito, during the Uruguayan Civil War.
8	Joaquín Suárez (1781–1868)	1 March 1843	15 February 1852	Colorado	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. President of the Gobierno de la Defensa, during the Uruguayan Civil War.
14	Bernardo Prudencio Berro (1803–1868)	15 February 1852	1 March 1852	National	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
15	Juan Francisco Giró (1791–1863)	1 March 1852	25 September 1853	National	1852	4th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Ousted from office by a coup d'état.
16	Venancio Flores (1808–1868)	25 September 1853	12 March 1854	Colorado	—	Triumvirate. Fructuoso Rivera and Juan Antonio Lavalleja died in office.
10	Fructuoso Rivera (1784–1854)	25 September 1853	13 January 1854	Colorado
7	Juan Antonio Lavalleja (1784–1853)	25 September 1853	22 October 1853	—
16	Venancio Flores (1808–1868)	12 March 1854	10 September 1855	Colorado	1854	5th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned.
17	Luis María Lamas (1793–1864)	29 August 1855	10 September 1855	Conservative	—	Self-proclaimed president after the Rebellion of the Conservatives [es].
18	Manuel Basilio Bustamante (1785–1863)	10 September 1855	15 February 1856	Colorado	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
19	José María Plá [es] (1794–1869)	15 February 1856	1 March 1856	Colorado	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
13	Gabriel Antonio Pereira (1794–1861)	1 March 1856	1 March 1860	Colorado	1856	6th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
14	Bernardo Prudencio Berro (1803–1868)	1 March 1860	1 March 1864	National	1860	7th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
20	Atanasio Cruz Aguirre (1801–1875)	1 March 1864	15 February 1865	National	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. Resigned after the Brazilian invasion.
21	Tomás Villalba (1805–1886)	15 February 1865	20 February 1865	National	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. Resigned after the Brazilian invasion.
16	Venancio Flores (1808–1868)	20 February 1865	15 February 1868	Colorado	—	De facto president after the Brazilian invasion. Assumed power as Provisional Governor for 3 years.
22	Pedro Varela (1837–1906)	15 February 1868	1 March 1868	Colorado	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
23	Lorenzo Batlle (1810–1887)	1 March 1868	1 March 1872	Colorado	1868	8th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
24	Tomás Gomensoro Albín (1810–1900)	1 March 1872	1 March 1873	Colorado	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
25	José Eugenio Ellauri (1834–1894)	1 March 1873	22 January 1875	Colorado	1873	9th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned.
22	Pedro Varela (1837–1906)	22 January 1875	10 March 1876	Colorado	—	10th Constitutional President, appointed by the General Assembly after the resignation of Ellauri. Ousted by a coup d'état.
–	Lorenzo Latorre (1844–1916)	10 March 1876	1 March 1879	Colorado	—	Assumed power as Provisional Governor.
26	Lorenzo Latorre (1844–1916)	1 March 1879	15 March 1880	Colorado	1879	11th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned.
27	Francisco Antonino Vidal (1825–1889)	15 March 1880	1 March 1882	Colorado	—	12th Constitutional President, appointed as president by the General Assembly to finish the presidential period 1879–1883. Resigned.
28	Máximo Santos (1847–1889)	1 March 1882	1 March 1886	Colorado	—	13th Constitutional President, appointed by the General Assembly for a term of 4 years.
27	Francisco Antonino Vidal (1825–1889)	1 March 1886	24 May 1886	Colorado	1886	14th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Resigned.
28	Máximo Santos (1847–1889)	24 May 1886	18 November 1886	Colorado	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power. Resigned.
29	Máximo Tajes (1852–1912)	18 November 1886	1 March 1890	Colorado	—	15th Constitutional President, appointed as president by the General Assembly to finish the presidential period 1886–1890.
30	Julio Herrera y Obes (1841–1912)	1 March 1890	1 March 1894	Colorado	1890	16th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
31	Duncan Stewart (1833–1923)	1 March 1894	21 March 1894	Colorado	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
32	Juan Idiarte Borda (1844–1897)	21 March 1894	25 August 1897	Colorado	1894	17th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. Assassinated.
33	Juan Lindolfo Cuestas (1837–1905)	25 August 1897	10 February 1898	Colorado	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
33	Juan Lindolfo Cuestas (1837–1905)	10 February 1898	15 February 1899	Colorado	—	De facto president following a self-coup. Resigned.
34	José Batlle y Ordóñez (1856–1929)	15 February 1899	1 March 1899	Colorado	—	President of the Senate exercising the Executive Power.
33	Juan Lindolfo Cuestas (1837–1905)	1 March 1899	1 March 1903	Colorado	1899	18th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
34	José Batlle y Ordóñez (1856–1929)	1 March 1903	1 March 1907	Colorado	1903	19th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
35	Claudio Williman (1861–1934)	1 March 1907	1 March 1911	Colorado	1907	20th Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
34	José Batlle y Ordóñez (1856–1929)	1 March 1911	1 March 1915	Colorado	1911	21st Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.
36	Feliciano Viera (1872–1927)	1 March 1915	1 March 1919	Colorado	1915	22nd Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly.

Oriental Republic of Uruguay (1919–present)

The Constitution of 1918 comes into force. According to the Constitution, the president is elected by direct popular election for a term of five years. He may be re-elected any number of times, but is ineligible for immediate re-election.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Elected	Notes	Vice President
37		Baltasar Brum (1883–1933)	1 March 1919	1 March 1923	Colorado	1919	23rd Constitutional President, elected by the General Assembly. The President served as part of the executive alongside the National Council of Administration, headed by a President: 1 March 1919 – 1 March 1921: Feliciano Viera 1 March 1921 – 1 March 1923: José Batlle y Ordóñez	Post not established
38	File:José Serrato.png	José Serrato (1868–1960)	1 March 1923	1 March 1927	Colorado	1922	24th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. The President served as part of the executive alongside the National Council of Administration, headed by a President: 1 March 1923 – 1 March 1925: Julio María Sosa 1 March 1925 – 1 March 1927: Luis Alberto de Herrera
39		Juan Campisteguy (1859–1937)	1 March 1927	1 March 1931	Colorado	1926	25th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. The President served as part of the executive alongside the National Council of Administration, headed by a President: 1 March 1927 – 16 February 1928: José Batlle y Ordóñez 6 February 1928 – 1 March 1929: Luis Caviglia 1 March 1929 – 1 March 1931: Baltasar Brum
40		Gabriel Terra (1873–1942)	1 March 1931	31 March 1933	Colorado	1930	26th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. The President served as part of the executive alongside the National Council of Administration, headed by a President: 1 March 1931 – 1 March 1933: Juan Pedro Fabini 1 March 1933 – 31 March 1933: Antonio Rubio Pérez
40			31 March 1933	18 May 1934		—	De facto president following a self-coup.
40			18 May 1934	19 June 1938		—	Provisional president elected by the 3rd National Constituent Convention.	Alfredo Navarro
41		Alfredo Baldomir (1884–1948)	19 June 1938	21 February 1942	Colorado	1938	27th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.	César Charlone
–		Alfredo Baldomir (1884–1948)	21 February 1942	1 March 1943	Colorado	—	De facto president following a self-coup.	César Charlone
42		Juan José de Amézaga (1881–1956)	1 March 1943	1 March 1947	Colorado	1942	28th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.	Alberto Guani
43		Tomás Berreta (1875–1947)	1 March 1947	2 August 1947	Colorado	1946	29th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. Died in office.	Luis Batlle Berres
44		Luis Batlle Berres (1897–1964)	2 August 1947	1 March 1951	Colorado	—	30th Constitutional President. Vice-president under Berreta, assumed the presidency after his death.	Alfeo Brum
45		Andrés Martínez Trueba (1884–1959)	1 March 1951	1 March 1952	Colorado	1950	31st Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. The post of President was replaced by the National Council of Government.	Alfeo Brum
46		National Council of Government 1952–1955	1 March 1952	1 March 1955	Colorado	—	The National Council of Government was headed by a President for the remaining of the 1951–1955 period: 1 March 1952 – 1 March 1955: Andrés Martínez Trueba	Post abolished
47		National Council of Government 1955–1959	1 March 1955	1 March 1959	Colorado	1954	The National Council of Government was headed by a President rotating every year: 1 March 1955 – 1 March 1956: Luis Batlle Berres 1 March 1956 – 1 March 1957: Alberto Fermín Zubiría 1 March 1957 – 1 March 1958: Arturo Lezama 1 March 1958 – 1 March 1959: Carlos Fischer
48		National Council of Government 1959–1963	1 March 1959	1 March 1963	National	1958	The National Council of Government was headed by a President rotating every year: 1 March 1959 – 1 March 1960: Martín Echegoyen 1 March 1960 – 1 March 1961: Benito Nardone 1 March 1961 – 1 March 1962: Eduardo Víctor Haedo 1 March 1962 – 1 March 1963: Faustino Harrison
49		National Council of Government 1963–67	1 March 1963	1 March 1967	National	1962	The National Council of Government was headed by a President rotating every year: 1 March 1963 – 1 March 1964: Daniel Fernández Crespo 1 March 1964 – 7 February 1965: Luis Giannattasio 7 February 1965 – 1 March 1966: Washington Beltrán 1 March 1966 – 1 March 1967: Alberto Héber Usher
50		Óscar Diego Gestido (1901–1967)	1 March 1967	6 December 1967	Colorado	1966	32nd Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. Died in office.	Jorge Pacheco Areco
51		Jorge Pacheco Areco (1920–1998)	6 December 1967	1 March 1972	Colorado	—	33rd Constitutional President. Vice-president under Gestido, assumed the presidency after his death.	Alberto Abdala
52		Juan María Bordaberry (1928–2011)	1 March 1972	27 June 1973	Colorado	1971	34th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.	Jorge Sapelli
52		Juan María Bordaberry (1928–2011)	27 June 1973	12 June 1976	Colorado	—	1973 Uruguayan coup d'état, start of the dictatorship between 1973 and 1985. Ousted from office.	Vacant
53	File:Alberto Demicheli.png	Alberto Demicheli (1896–1980)	12 June 1976	1 September 1976	Colorado	—	Appointed by the Armed Forces. Ousted from office.
54		Aparicio Méndez (1904–1988)	1 September 1976	1 September 1981	National	—	Appointed by the Armed Forces for a term of 5 years.
55		Gregorio Álvarez (1925–2016)	1 September 1981	12 February 1985	Military	—	Appointed by the Armed Forces. Resigned.
56		Rafael Addiego (1923–2014)	12 February 1985	1 March 1985	Civic Union	—	President of the Supreme Court, appointed by the Armed Forces.
57		Julio María Sanguinetti (born 1936)	1 March 1985	1 March 1990	Colorado	1984	35th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens. First democratic President after the 1973-1985 dictatorship.	Enrique Tarigo
58		Luis Alberto Lacalle (born 1941)	1 March 1990	1 March 1995	National	1989	36th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.	Gonzalo Aguirre Ramírez
59		Julio María Sanguinetti (born 1936)	1 March 1995	1 March 2000	Colorado	1994	37th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.	Hugo Batalla
59		Julio María Sanguinetti (born 1936)	1 March 1995	1 March 2000	Colorado	1994	37th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.	Hugo Fernández Faingold
60		Jorge Batlle (1927–2016)	1 March 2000	1 March 2005	Colorado	1999	38th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.	Luis Antonio Hierro López
61		Tabaré Vázquez (1940–2020)	1 March 2005	1 March 2010	Broad Front	2004	39th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.	Rodolfo Nin Novoa
62		José Mujica (born 1935)	1 March 2010	1 March 2015	Broad Front	2009	40th Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.	Danilo Astori
63		Tabaré Vázquez (1940–2020)	1 March 2015	1 March 2020	Broad Front	2014	41st Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.^[3]	Raúl Sendic Rodríguez
63		Tabaré Vázquez (1940–2020)	1 March 2015	1 March 2020	Broad Front	2014		Lucía Topolansky
64		Luis Lacalle Pou (born 1973)	1 March 2020	Incumbent (Term ends on 1 March 2025)	National	2019	42nd Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.^[4]	Beatriz Argimón
65		Yamandú Orsi (born 1967)	1 March 2025	President-elect (Term begins on 1 March 2025)	Broad Front	2024	43nd Constitutional President, elected by the citizens.	Carolina Cosse

Timeline

References

^ Reyes Abadie & Vázquez Romero 1986, pp. 590–595 § Los hechos políticos durante el Gobierno Rondeau.
^ Reyes Abadie & Vázquez Romero 1986, pp. 595–599 § Lavalleja sustituye a Rondeau: reacción de Rivera.
^ Castaldi, Malena; Farat, Esteban (2015-03-02). "Tabaré Vázquez promete aprovechar la "segunda oportunidad" en Uruguay". Reuters (in Spanish). Montevideo. Retrieved 2023-08-08.
^ Martínez, Magdalena (2020-03-02). "Luis Lacalle Pou consuma el final de 15 años de Gobiernos de izquierda en Uruguay". El País (de Madrid) (in Spanish). Montevideo. Retrieved 2023-06-27.

Bibliography

Reyes Abadie, Washington; Vázquez Romero, Andrés (1986). Crónica general del Uruguay (in Spanish). Vol. 2. Montevideo: Ediciones de la Banda Oriental.

[ReyesProv-1] Reyes Abadie & Vázquez Romero 1986, pp. 590–595 § Los hechos políticos durante el Gobierno Rondeau.

[ReyesSust-2] Reyes Abadie & Vázquez Romero 1986, pp. 595–599 § Lavalleja sustituye a Rondeau: reacción de Rivera.

[ReutersTV2015-3] Castaldi, Malena; Farat, Esteban (2015-03-02). "Tabaré Vázquez promete aprovechar la "segunda oportunidad" en Uruguay". Reuters (in Spanish). Montevideo. Retrieved 2023-08-08.

[ElPaisEspLLP-4] Martínez, Magdalena (2020-03-02). "Luis Lacalle Pou consuma el final de 15 años de Gobiernos de izquierda en Uruguay". El País (de Madrid) (in Spanish). Montevideo. Retrieved 2023-06-27.

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