José Joaquín de Herrera
José Joaquín Antonio Florencio de Herrera y Ricardos (February 23, 1792 – February 10, 1854) was a Mexican statesman who served as president of Mexico three times (1844, 1844–1845 and 1848–1851), and as a general in the Mexican Army during the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848.
José Joaquín de Herrera | |
|---|---|
Portrait of José Joaquín de Herrera | |
| 14th President of Mexico | |
| In office 12 – 21 September 1844 | |
| Preceded by | Antonio López de Santa Anna |
| Succeeded by | Valentín Canalizo |
| In office 6 December 1844 – 30 December 1845 | |
| Preceded by | Valentín Canalizo |
| Succeeded by | Mariano Paredes |
| In office 3 June 1848 – 15 January 1851 | |
| Preceded by | Manuel de la Peña y Peña |
| Succeeded by | Mariano Arista |
| President of the Chamber of Deputies | |
| In office 1 – 30 April 1827 | |
| Preceded by | Manuel Crescencio Rejón |
| Succeeded by | Carlos García y Bocanegra |
| Member of the Chamber of Deputies for Veracruz | |
| In office 1 January 1827 – 27 December 1828 | |
| 5th Minister of War and Marine | |
| In office 12 July 1823 – 11 March 1824 | |
| Preceded by | José Ignacio García Illueca |
| Succeeded by | Manuel de Mier y Terán |
| Member of the First Constituent Congress for Veracruz | |
| In office 24 February – 31 October 1822 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 23, 1792 Xalapa, Veracruz, Viceroyalty of New Spain |
| Died | February 10, 1854 (aged 61) Tacubaya, Mexico |
| Spouse | Josefa Cortés |
He fought in the Mexican War of Independence initially remaining loyal to Spain, but he switched sides towards the end of the war to join the Plan of Iguala. During the First Mexican Republic, he served as Minister of War twice.
Under the Centralist Republic of Mexico, he reached the position of president of the council of state, which led to him becoming president twice. When Santa Anna took power in 1844, he installed Valentin Canalizo as his puppet ruler, but as Canalizo was not present at the capital at that time, Herrera was made interim president while Canalizo arrived and only remained in power for ten days. After Santa Anna and Canalizo were overthrown in 1845, Herrera, president of the council of state was once again chosen to assume the presidency. Herrera would find himself overthrown at the end of the year amidst accusations that he was committing treason by attempting to recognize the independence of Texas, though his intentions were to create a buffer state as a guard against further American encroachment.
After the end of the Mexican-American War, he was elected president again in 1848, and pursued many measures of economic and political reform. The end of his administration in 1852 marked the first peaceful transfer of power in Mexico since 1824.