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Salvador Jovellanos | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 5th President of Paraguay | |
| In office December 18, 1871 – November 25, 1874 | |
| Vice President | Vacant |
| Preceded by | Cirilo Antonio Rivarola |
| Succeeded by | Juan Bautista Gill |
| 2nd Vice President of Paraguay | |
| In office 9 December 1871 – 18 December 1871 | |
| President | Cirilo Antonio Rivarola |
| Preceded by | Cayo Miltos |
| Succeeded by | Higinio Uriarte(1874) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1833-12-31)December 31, 1833 Asunción, Paraguay |
| Died | February 11, 1881(1881-02-11) (aged 47) |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse | Ercilia Bogado |
| Parents |
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Salvador Silvestre del Rosario Jovellanos Guanes (December 31, 1833 – February 11, 1881) was aParaguayan politician. He served asVice President in 1871,[1] andPresident from December 18, 1871 – November 25, 1874. His main concern as president was Paraguay's slow recovery from Paraguay's defeat inParaguayan War with Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. He died in Buenos Aires on February 11, 1881.
He was born inAsunción on December 31, 1833. He was very young when his family left the country during the regime ofCarlos Antonio López to settle inBuenos Aires, where he formed his own family.
Jovellanos was one of the founding members of the exile Paraguayan Association on December 28, 1858. After the start of Paraguayan War he signed a request to Argentine government on April 24, 1865, asking it to authorize formation of theParaguayan Legion that would be formed from exiles and Lopez opponents. He was one of the early supporters of this idea, together withOtoniel Peña participating in the meeting of the steering committee held on January 18, 1865.
In mid-January 1869, a couple of weeks after Asuncion was occupied by the Allied forces, Jovellanos returned to his homeland together with other exiles -Juan Bautista Gill,José Segundo Decoud,Juan Antonio Jara,Carlos Loizaga,Benigno Ferreira,Cayo Miltos and others who signed a petition asking the Allies for formation of a Provisional government. On March 25, 1870, he joined theGran Club del Pueblo (a precursor ofLiberal Party) which was led byFacundo Machaín. In theelections of National Assembly he was elected from the Cathedral district with 302 votes.[2] Jovellanos was member of the commission that drafted the Constitution of 1870 as well as commission that drafted the Electoral Law. He wasMinister of Finance of Paraguay from June 1870 to November 1870.[3]
After the death fromyellow fever of Vice PresidentCayo Miltos on January 7, 1871, National Assembly elected Jovellanos to the post of Vice President. During 1871 he also served as Minister of War and Navy and Interior Minister.
Following the resignation of PresidentCirilo Antonio Rivarola he assumed the post of President during the political upheaval that surrounded the fall of Rivarola. The removal of Rivarola was organized byJuan Bautista Gill in cooperation with Brazilians who wanted to place Gill in Presidency. However, before he could remove the Jovellanos, Gill was arrested on the orders of generalBenigno Ferreira and deported from the country. During Jovellanos Presidency General Ferreira remained the power behind the throne.[4]
During his government theLoizaga–Cotegipe Treaty of Peace and Borders withEmpire of Brazil was signed on January 9, 1872. With this treaty Paraguay gave up territories north ofApa River andAmambai territory. Peace treaty with Uruguay was signed as well, but relations with Argentine reminded tense.
To rebuild the devastated country, a new loan of 2,000,000 pounds was secured from Great Britain on harsher terms than the 1871 loan. Much of this money was stolen and misused by politicians. This debt was repaid only in 1961.
Jovellanos sought to reorganize the public administration. His government paved some streets of Asuncion; created the Council of Public Education, Immigration office and the Economic and Management Boards. Police and internal revenue services were reorganized. The first tram line was built in Asuncion. It started at the port, went down the street until Colòn Street and Independencia Nacional, Palma and Libertad Street, now calledEligio Ayala, and reached its endpoint at the Central railway station.
Jovellanos was faced with many coup attempts and finally was forced from power after a rebellion started in 1874 under nationalist GeneralBernardino Caballero.
After leaving the post of President he left for exile in Buenos Aires where he died.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Vice President of Paraguay 1870–1871 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of Paraguay 1871–1874 | Succeeded by |
