José Pedro Antonio Vélez de Zúñiga (28 July 1787 – 5 August 1848) was a Mexican politician and lawyer. In the aftermath of a successful coup against president

Vicente Guerrero Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña (; baptized 10 August 1782 – 14 February 1831) was a Mexican military officer from 1810–1821 and a statesman who became the nation's second president in 1829. He was one of the leading generals who fought ag ...

, he was placed at the head of a triumvirate that briefly led the Mexican government during the last days of 1829.

Early life

Pedro Velez was born in

Zacatecas Zacatecas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Zacatecas, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 31 states of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Zacatecas, 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas City, Zacatec ...

in the year 1787 and, after completing his primary studies there, he moved to

Guadalajara Guadalajara ( ; ) is the capital and the most populous city in the western Mexican List of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco, as well as the most densely populated municipality in Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population ...

to study law. He was a legal advisor to General Cruz and after moving to

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

shortly after independence he was made president of the Supreme Court upon its establishment in January 1825, being considered an honest man and an able jurist, having also already been a member of the provincial deputation in Guadalajara.

Executive Triumvirate

In 1829, a revolt known as the Plan of Jalapa flared up against President

, led ironically by his own vice president

Anastasio Bustamante Trinidad Anastasio de Sales Ruiz Bustamante y Oseguera (; 27 July 1780 – 6 February 1853) was a Mexican physician, general, and politician who served as the 4th President of Mexico three times from 1830 to 1832, 1837 to 1839, and 1839 to 1841. ...

. President Guerrero stepped down from the presidency and handed it over to

José María Bocanegra José María de los Dolores Francisco Germán del Espíritu Santo Bocanegra y Villalpando (; 25 May 1787 – 23 July 1862) was a Mexican lawyer and statesman who was briefly interim president of Mexico in December 1829 during a coup attempt aga ...

in order to personally lead his troops against the rebels. In December 1829 the Plan of Quintanar, a pronunciamiento in favor of the rebels was proclaimed within the capital and aided by Jose Ignacio Esteva, the governor of the federal district. Interim President Bocanegra and the commandant general Anaya made no moves to suppress the revolt so on the night of 22 December, the rebels stormed the National Palace and captured it without resistance. The rebels then set up an interim executive triumvirate with Pedro Vélez as the president. The other two members were

Lucas Alamán Lucas Ygnacio José Joaquín Pedro de Alcántar Juan Bautista Francisco de Paula de Alamán y Escalada (Guanajuato, New Spain, 18 October 1792 – Mexico City, Mexico, 2 June 1853) was a Mexican scientist, conservative statesman, historian, and ...

and Luis Quintanar. The executive only lasted two weeks and focused on consolidating the revolution. The partisans of Guerrero:

Lorenzo de Zavala Manuel Lorenzo Justiniano de Zavala y Sánchez (October 3, 1788 – November 15, 1836), known simply as Lorenzo de Zavala, was a Mexican and later Tejano physician, politician, diplomat and author. Born in Yucatán (state), Yucatán under Vicero ...

, Manuel Rejon, and Fernando del Valle were arrested but were released a few days later upon promising to recognize the new government. On January 1, 1833, power passed over to Anastasio Bustamante.

Later life

He was made Minister of Justice in 1843. He died on August 5, 1848.

Sources

* "Vélez, Pedro", ''Enciclopedia de México'', v. 14. Mexico City, 1996, . * Cosío Villegas, Daniel. ''Historia General de México'', El Colegio de México, México, 1976,

* García Puron, Manuel, ''México y sus gobernantes'', v. 2. Mexico City: Joaquín Porrúa, 1984. * Orozco Linares, Fernando, ''Gobernantes de México''. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1985, .

References

External links