José Giral

José Giral.

José Giral y Pereira (22 October 1879 – 23 December 1962) was a Spanish politician during the Second Spanish Republic.

Pereira was born in Santiago de Cuba. He had degrees in Chemistry and Pharmacy from the University of Madrid. In 1905 he became professor of chemistry in the University of Salamanca. He founded Acción Republicana with Manuel Azaña. During the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera he conspired against the regime, and was imprisoned three times. When the Second Republic was declared, he was named director of the Universidad Complutense de 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 17 July 1936, Azaña ordered Giral to form a new government constituted exclusively by republicans. This 133rd Prime Minister government lasted from 19 July to 4 September 1936. Then, with the fall of Talavera de la Reina and the Army of Morocco within reach of Madrid, Giral was forced to cede power to Francisco Largo Caballero.^[1]

After the end of the Spanish Civil War he went to France, then to Mexico. In 1945 he succeeded Juan Negrín as prime minister of the Spanish Republican government in Exile until 1947.^[2] He died in Mexico.

He married María Luisa González y de la Calle.

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