José Tadeo Monagas
| José Tadeo Monagas | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 11th President of Venezuela | |
| In office 1 March 1847 – 5 February 1851 |
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| Preceded by | Carlos Soublette |
| Succeeded by | José Gregorio Monagas |
| 13th President of Venezuela | |
| In office January 20, 1855 – March 15, 1858 |
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| Preceded by | José Gregorio Monagas |
| Succeeded by | Pedro Gual Escandon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 October 1784 Maturín, Monagas |
| Died | 18 November 1868 (aged 84) Caracas |
| Political party | Conservative Party Liberal Party |
| Spouse(s) | Luisa Oriach Ladrón de Guevara |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Signature |  |
José Tadeo Monagas Burgos (28 October 1784 - 18 November 1868) was President of Venezuela 1847-1851 and 1855–1858, and a hero of the Venezuelan War of Independence. Monagas was one of the most unpopular presidents in Venezuelan history, distinguished by his nepotist and favoritism-bound policies, his disregard for laws passed by Congress when he disagreed with them, and the amount of power he attributed to the Executive branch. During his second term, he arranged for a new Constitution (passed in 1858) which would grant him further powers. The administration he set up would eventually lead to a constitutional (and armed) crisis.
As a member of the Liberal Party, he abolished capital punishment for political crimes. José Tadeo Monagas also supported his brother José Gregorio for the presidency.
José Tadeo Monagas and his brother José Gregorio Monagas combined rule 1847-1858 is commonly referred to as the Monagas Dynasty or "Monagato". It ended with the overthrow of José Tadeo at the hands of Julián Castro and his allies during José Tadeo's second term.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life and career
Born at Tamarindo de Amana, Maturín, his parents were Francisco José Monagas and Perfecta Burgos Villana; they baptized him with the name Judas Tadeo, but by his habit of using only the initial of his first name, he was known as José Tadeo. His father were a merchant Spanish from the Canary Islands, while that his mother were a native of Cojedes. [1]He received an education oriented by farm work; Monagas began his military career as second lieutenant of cavalry under the command of Colonel Manuel Villapol in the patriot army of General Santiago Mariño. In 1813 his Baptism by fire occurs at the battle of Bocas del Pao. The same year, he distinguished himself by his actions against the royal forces led by Lorenzo Fernández de la Hoz, Domingo de Monteverde and José Tomás Boves in Maturín and Cachipo.
In 1814 he participated in the siege of La Puerta (3 February), the battle of Bocachica (31 March), and the first battle of Carabobo, obtaining the rank of colonel on 28 May. In 1817 he cooperated in the eastern region of Venezuela with Simón Bolívar, and in 1818, he fought in Calabozo against Pablo Morillo, and in the siege of Semen (16 March) and Ortíz, confronted Miguel de la Torre (26 March). In 1820, he formed part of the attack against Chicual Guzmán on the trenches of Quimiare (2 November). By 1821 he was promoted by Bolívar to General of Division. A year later Monagas obtained the charge of Governor of Barcelona and Military Commander of the Orinoco, after that he retired to a quiet life in the country. In 1823 Monagas married Luisa Oriach Ladrón de Guevara, daughter of Francisco José Oriach and María Antonia Ladrón de Guevara.
In 1830, Monagas returned to the political and military life, opposing the separation of Venezuela from Greater Colombia, while participating in the so-called Pacification of the East. In 1831, along with his brother José Gregorio, Monagas promoted the formation of a "State of the East", to be composed by the provinces of Cumaná, Margarita and Guayana. He advocated the establishment of a confederation with the other provinces of Venezuela, as well as those of Greater Colombia.
In May, 1831, in a council of 150 residents of the city of Barcelona, General Santiago Mariño and Monagas were invested as principal authorities of the State of the East, until the installation of the first congress, which was to be convened later. After that, President José Antonio Páez stopped this separatist attempt, negotiating with the Monagas brothers, convincing them to submit to central authority. On 23 June 1831, in Valle de la Pascua, a pardon decree provided the guarantees to the Monagas and the other members of the movement. From that, José Tadeo Monagas retired to private life again.
In 1834, Monagas elected Doctor José María Vargas as president of Venezuela, the military response against the non expected civil power being directed by Monagas, with an armed insurrection in the east, named Revolution of the Reforms. Being this movement suppressed by the government, a new pardon decree signed in the barracks of Pirital in November 1835, put an end to the conflict.
[edit] Rise to power
In 1846, Monagas was postulated as candidate for the presidency, for the period 1847-1851, with the support of Páez and president Carlos Soublette. Being elected by congress on 20 January 1847, he took office on 1 March. His government is characterized by the break with the Conservative Party, and the implementation of a series of measures considered by his opponents as arbitrary. His term was marked by the events of 24 January 1848, which culminated with the assault on the National Congress by supporters of Monagas, and the imposition of his personal power. At the end of this period in 1851, his brother José Gregorio Monagas was elected President for the 1851-1855 term, this dynasty became known as the Monagato. After the presidency of his brother, José Tadeo was reelected.
An insurrectional movement led by Julián Castro from the city of Valencia, forced Monagas to resign the presidency on 15 March 1858. He received asylum from the French Legation in Caracas, and went into exile a few weeks later.
[edit] Later career
After six years in exile (1858–1864) Monagas returned to Venezuela, and gathered around him the opponents to the administration of President Juan Crisóstomo Falcón. At the age of 83, he led the Revolución Azul (Blue Revolution), that overthrew Manuel Ezequiel Bruzual (interim successor of Falcón), and occupied Caracas in June 1868. Subsequently, on 27 June, José Tadeo, as General in Chief of the Armies of the Revolution, issued a decree reorganizing the executive administration, and on 30 June, declared valid the existing Federal Constitution of 1864. Finally, he called for new presidential elections, but Monagas (whose candidacy was the strongest), died of pneumonia during the process in 1868. His remains rest in the National Pantheon of Venezuela since 17 May 1877.
José Tadeo Monagas was a mason in the 33rd degree.
[edit] See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: José Tadeo Monagas |
[edit] References
- (Spanish) José Tadeo Monagas — Official biography.
- (Spanish) José Tadeo Monagas
