Juan Esteban Pedernera (December 25, 1796 – February 1, 1886) was interim

President of Argentina The president of Argentina ( es, Presidente de Argentina), officially known as the president of the Argentine Nation ( es, Presidente de la Nación Argentina), is both head of state and head of government of Argentina. Under Constitution of Ar ...

during a brief period in 1861. Born in 1796 in San Luis Province, he studied in a

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when young, and left his studies to join the Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers being summoned by José de San Martín to fight in the

War of Independence This is a list of wars of independence (also called liberation wars). These wars may or may not have been successful in achieving a goal of independence. List See also * Lists of active separatist movements * List of civil wars * List of o ...

against Spanish rule. In 1815, he fought in the Battles of

Chacabuco Chacabuco is one of the many abandoned nitrate or "saltpeter" towns ("oficinas salitreras" in Spanish) in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. Other nitrate towns of the Atacama Desert include Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works. Unlike ...

and

Battle of Maipú The Battle of Maipú ( es, Batalla de Maipú) was a battle fought near Santiago, Chile on April 5, 1818, between South American rebels and Spanish royalists, during the Chilean War of Independence. The Patriot rebels led by Argentine general Jo ...

, in

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; and then in the campaign to liberate

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

. He was imprisoned by the Spanish during the former campaign in

Chiloé Island Chiloé Island ( es, Isla de Chiloé, , ) also known as Greater Island of Chiloé (''Isla Grande de Chiloé''), is the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago off the west coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean. The island is located in southern ...

, but managed to escape and rejoin his army. Lieutenant-general Juan Esteban Pedernera married the former Rosa Juana Heredia in

Callao Callao () is a Peruvian seaside city and Regions of Peru, region on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru's chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez International Airport. Callao municipality consists o ...

on September 23, 1823; she was born in Perú, in 1805, and died in Buenos Aires, on August 26, 1886. In 1826 engaged again in

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activity, this time in the Cisplatine War. In the

Argentine Civil War The Argentine Civil Wars were a series of civil conflicts of varying intensity that took place through the territories of Argentina from 1814 to 1853. Initiation concurrently with the Argentine War of Independence (1810–1820), the conflict p ...

, he joined the Unitarian side, under the command of General José María Paz, and fought in La Tablada against

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forces. After a long time in exile, he returned to the country after the fall of the Rosas' regime, and acted as

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for San Luis Province. In 1856, he was designated commander of the frontier armed forces, and in 1859 he was elected

Governor of San Luis The governor of San Luis ( es, Gobernador de la Provincia de San Luis) is a citizen of San Luis Province, in Argentina, holding the office of governor for the corresponding period. The governor is elected alongside a vice-governor. Currently the ...

, and fought at the Battle of Cepeda that same year. He then was elected

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President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

of the

Argentine Confederation The Argentine Confederation (Spanish: ''Confederación Argentina'') was the last predecessor state of modern Argentina; its name is still one of the official names of the country according to the Argentine Constitution, Article 35. It was the name ...

Santiago Derqui Santiago Rafael Luis Manuel José María Derqui Rodríguez ( Córdoba June 21, 1809 – Corrientes November 5, 1867) was president of Argentina from March 5, 1860 to November 5, 1861. He was featured on the 10 australes note, which is now ...

, and served from 1860 until 1861, when Derqui resigned after the Battle of Pavón. Pedernera then acted as President until the political situation forced the dissolution of the office. In 1882 he was designated Lieutenant General of the Armies of the Republic.