Pedro Lascuráin

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Pedro Lascuráin Paredes

In office February 18, 1913 – February 18, 1913
Preceded by	Francisco I. Madero
Succeeded by	Victoriano Huerta

Born	May 8, 1856 Mexico DF
Died	July 21, 1952 Mexico DF
Political party	No Party
Spouse	María Flores

Pedro Lascuráin Paredes (May 8, 1856 – July 21, 1952) was very briefly President of Mexico.

Lascuráin was the foreign minister in Francisco I. Madero's cabinet. On February 18, 1913, General Victoriano Huerta overthrew President Madero. To give the coup d'état an appearance of legality, Huerta had Lascuráin assume the presidency; Lascuráin then appointed Huerta to be his interior minister and promptly resigned, thus handing the office of president over to Huerta.

Lascuráin was thus president for less than one hour. (Sources quote figures ranging from 15 to 55 minutes.) Huerta subsequently offered him a post in his cabinet, but Lascuráin declined. This makes his presidency the shortest in the history of the World.

Lascuráin received a law degree in 1880. He served as mayor of Mexico City prior to being selected for his cabinet position on April 10, 1913. He was the director of the Escuela Libre de Derecho, Mexico City's top law school, for 16 years, and he published extensively on commercial and civil law.