Francisco Urcuyo

Francisco Urcuyo
Official portrait, 1967
President of Nicaragua
Acting 17 – 18 July 1979
Vice President	Vacant
Preceded by	Anastasio Somoza Debayle
Succeeded by	Junta of National Reconstruction (as Head of State) Daniel Ortega (as President, 1985)
First Vice President of Nicaragua
In office 1 May 1967 – 1 May 1972 Serving with Alfonso Callejas Deshón
President	Anastasio Somoza Debayle
Preceded by	Silvio Argüello Cardenal
Succeeded by	Sergio Ramírez (1985)
Personal details
Born	Francisco Urcuyo Maliaños 30 July 1915 Rivas, Nicaragua
Died	14 September 2001(2001-09-14) (aged 86) Managua, Nicaragua
Political party	PLN
Spouse	Maria Luisa Muñoz
Children	Francisco, Bayardo, Roberto and Mario
Alma mater	National Autonomous University of Mexico
Occupation	Politician

Francisco Urcuyo Maliaños (30 July 1915 – 14 September 2001) was a Nicaraguan politician, who served as Vice President of Anastasio Somoza Debayle from 1967 to 1972, and President of Nicaragua very briefly after Somoza fled the country in 1979.

Urcuyo was the president of the lower chamber of National Congress of Nicaragua 1972–1973 and 1978–1979.^[1][2][3]

In July 1979, when Somoza resigned, Urcuyo was the president of the lower chamber of National Congress of Nicaragua. In 1979 he was handpicked by Somoza as successor to the presidency. Urcuyo became acting president of Nicaragua for a single day from 17 to 18 July 1979,^[4] following the resignation of Somoza on 17 July. Upon taking office, he announced his intention to serve out the remainder of Somoza's term. This announcement provoked a strong reaction from the Sandinistas, other Latin American states, and the Carter Administration in the U.S.

Recognizing the untenability of his situation, Urcuyo fled to Guatemala^[4] on 18 July, effectively handing the country over to the Junta of National Reconstruction.