Diego Vigil y Cocaña

Diego Vigil y Cocaña
Diego Vigil y Cocaña
Interim President of Federal Republic of Central America
	In office; 1 February 1839 – 31 March 1840
Preceded by	Francisco Morazán
Succeeded by	Office Abolished
11th & 13th President of El Salvador
	In office; 1 February 1836 – 23 May 1837
Preceded by	Francisco Gómez
Succeeded by	Timoteo Menéndez
	In office; 7 June 1837 – 6 January 1838
Preceded by	Timoteo Menéndez
Succeeded by	Timoteo Menéndez
7th President of Honduras
	In office; 30 June 1828 – 2 December 1829
Preceded by	Francisco Morazán
Succeeded by	Francisco Morazán
Personal details
Born	1799; Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Died	10 January 1845; Granada, Nicaragua
Political party	Liberal
Alma mater	University of León
Profession	politician

Diego Vigil y Cocaña (1799, Tegucigalpa, Honduras – 10 January 1845, Granada, Nicaragua) was a Central American politician. He was the last president of the Federal Republic of Central America (1839–40), during its disintegration. He was also chief of state of the federal states of Honduras (1829) and El Salvador (1836–37 and 1837–38).

Background and early political career

Diego Vigil was the son of José Vigil Fernández and Josefa Cocaña Fábrega. He was related to the Central American Liberal leader, general and president, Francisco Morazán, and was among his closest fellow combatants. Vigil studied law at the University of León in León, Nicaragua, and was afterwards temporarily active as a lawyer and notary in Tegucigalpa.

In 1824, he was a member of the federal parliament. In 1826–27, he was governor of the province of Tegucigalpa, but after the occupation of that city by the troops of federal President Manuel José Arce, he was arrested. When Morazán reconquered Honduras, Vigil was freed.

As chief of state of Honduras

After Morazán's victory in the Battle of La Trinidad (10 November 1827), the Legislative Assembly of Honduras named Vigil vice-chief of state on 27 November 1827. Morazán later made him chief of state of Honduras (7 March 1829 to 2 December 1829).

During his term of office, the Legislative Assembly dissolved the religious communities in Honduras. Their goods passed to the state, and several monasteries and other buildings were occupied as public buildings.

As chief of state of El Salvador

General Morazán made him chief of state of the state of El Salvador, effective 1 February 1836. He served until 23 May 1837, and then again from 7 July 1837 to 6 January 1838.

During his administration a cholera epidemic broke out in El Salvador, spread by pilgrims returning from the shrine of Esquipulas. Because of the cholera, the government stopped all payments except for public employees, in order to devote the resources to fighting the epidemic. By January 1837, the cholera had spread to all the populations of the state. The state government established sanitary committees to meet in the capitals of the departments.

In March 1836, Licenciado and General Nicolás Espinoza, former chief of state of the state of El Salvador, was expelled from the state, and his title of Benemerito de la Patria was withdrawn.

On 8 January 1837, the Legislative Assembly passed the annual budget, totaling 85,028 pesos. It also authorized the introduction of water into the town of San Miguel.

On 23 May 1837 an insurrection of natives in Zacatecoluca and Cojutepeque broke out, with much killing and pillaging. On the same day, the office of chief of state passed from Vigil to Timoteo Menéndez. Vigil returned to office six weeks later, on 7 July.

In June 1837 a revolutionary movement erupted in Santa Ana, but it was suppressed. The government decreed amnesty for the participants in the various revolutionary movements.

On 6 January 1838, Timoteo Menéndez again became chief of state.

As president of the federal republic

After federal Vice President Gregorio Salazar was killed during the occupation of Guatemala City by the rebel forces of Rafael Carrera, Vigil was selected to succeed him (1 February 1838). Morazán was then in his second term as president of the federation.

On 1 February 1839, Morazán turned the presidency over to Vigil. Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica had withdrawn from the federation in 1838, and soon Guatemala followed suit (17 April 1839). This left the "federation" with only one member, El Salvador. On 31 March 1840, El Salvador dissolved the federation and Vigil's term came to an end.

Later years

On 8 April 1840, Diego Vigil and Francisco Morazán sailed from El Salvador for Costa Rica and Panama. After Morazán's execution on 15 September 1842 in San José, Costa Rica, Vigil settled in Granada, Nicaragua, where he remained until his death in 1845.

External links

(in Spanish) Short biography from the El Salvador government website
(in Spanish) Short biography from a Honduran website

Political offices
Preceded by Francisco Morazán	Head of State of Honduras (acting) 1829	Succeeded by Francisco Morazán
Preceded by Francisco Gómez	Head of State of El Salvador 1836–1837	Succeeded by Timoteo Menéndez
Preceded by Timoteo Menéndez	Head of State of El Salvador 1837–1838	Succeeded by Timoteo Menéndez
Preceded by Francisco Morazán	President of Central America 1838–1839	Succeeded by (none)

v t e Heads of state of El Salvador
Post-independence (1821–1823)	Barriere Delgado Filísola Codallos Consultive Junta^‡ Prado^†
Federal Republic of Central America (1823–1841)	J. Rodríguez Prado J. V. Villacorta Prado Cornejo J. D. Villacorta Cornejo Morazán^† J. San Martín Prado J. San Martín C. Salazar^† G. Salazar^† Escolán^† Silva Espinoza F. Gómez Vigil T. Menéndez Vigil T. Menéndez Cañas^† Morazán Silva^† Cañas^† Ramírez^† Lindo^†
Republic of El Salvador (1841–1931)	Lindo^† Arce^† Marín^† J. J. Guzmán D. Villacorta^† Marín^† J. J. Guzmán C. Molina^† Arce^† C. Molina^† Arce^† Palacios^† Malespín Palacios^† J. E. Guzmán Palacios^† Aguilar Palacios^† Aguilar Medina^† Quirós^† Vasconcelos R. Rodríguez^† Vasconcelos Dueñas^† Quirós^† Dueñas J. M. San Martín^† Dueñas V. Gómez^† J. M. San Martín Dueñas^† Campo Dueñas^† Campo Zepeda^† Santín Barrios^† Santín J. E. Guzmán^† Peralta^† Barrios Dueñas González Méndez^† González del Valle Zaldívar Guirola^† Zaldívar Figueroa^† Rosales^† F. Menéndez C. Ezeta A. Ezeta^† Gutiérrez Regalado Escalón Figueroa M. Araujo C. Meléndez^† Quiñónez^† C. Meléndez Quiñónez^† J. Meléndez Quiñónez P. Romero A. Araujo
Military presidents (1931–1979)	Civic Directory^‡ Hernández Martínez^† A. Menéndez^† Hernández Martínez A. Menéndez^† Aguirre^† Castaneda Revolutionary Council of Government^‡ Osorio Lemus Junta of Government^‡ Civic-Military Directory^‡ Cordón^† Rivera F. Sánchez A. Molina C. Romero
Salvadoran Civil War (1979–1992)	Revolutionary Government Junta^‡ Magaña Duarte Cristiani
Post-Civil War (since 1992)	Cristiani Calderón Flores Saca Funes S. Sánchez Bukele C. Rodríguez^†
^† – Acting or provisional president ^‡ – Military junta

v t e Presidents and heads of state of Honduras
1821–1839	Herrera Milla Bendaña Jeronimo Zelaya Bustamante Morazán Vigil Cocaña Morazán Ángel Arias Morazán Valle Marquez Milla Guevara Rivera Martinez Salinas Herrera Martinez Salinas Lino
1839–1982	Zelaya y Ayes Ferrera Council of Ministers Ferrera Council of Ministers Chávez Council of Ministers Lindo Gómez Cabañas Bueso Aguilar Guardiola Montes Castellanos Montes Medina Inestroza Cruz Medina Arias Leiva Mejía Gómez Medina Soto Council of Ministers Bográn Leiva Vásquez P. Bonilla Sierra Arias Boquín M. Bonilla Oquelí Dávila Bertrand M. Bonilla Bertrand Aguirre Mejía Colindres Bográn López Gutiérrez Bueso Carías Andino Tosta Paz Barahona Mejía Colindres Carías Andino Gálvez Lozano Díaz Military junta Villeda Morales López Arellano Cruz Uclés López Arellano Melgar Paz García
Democratic era (since 1982)	Suazo Córdova Azcona Callejas Reina Flores Maduro Zelaya Micheletti (Disputed) Lobo Hernández Castro