José Giral

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José Giral Pereira (Santiago de Cuba, 1879 - Mexico, 1962) was a Spanish politician during the Second Spanish Republic.

He was licensed in Chemistry and Pharmacy by the University of Madrid. In 1905 he became professor of chemistry in the University of Salamanca. He was a member of the Unión Republicana party and founded Acción Republicana with Manuel Azaña. During the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera he conspired against the regime, consequently he was imprisoned three times. When the Second Republic was declared, he was named director of the University of Madrid and advisor of State. Between 1931 and 1933 he served as Minister of the Navy.

After the failure of Diego Martínez Barrio to form a government to restrain the military revolt of July 17, 1936, Azaña ordered Giral to form a new government constituted exclusively by republicans. This government would last from July 19 to September 4, 1936, when, with the fall of Talavera de la Reina and the Army of Morocco within reach of Madrid, he was forced to cede power to Francisco Largo Caballero. After the end of the Spanish Civil War he went to France, then to Mexico.