Cristóbal Mendoza
Encyclopedia
Cristóbal Hurtado de Mendoza (23 June 1772 – 8 February 1829) was a Venezuela
n politician. Cristobal became the first President of Venezuela in 1811.
to complete his education. In 1794 obtained his law degree. He went to Santo Domingo where he studied civil rights and returned to Venezuela in his late 20s.
In March 1811, the first Venezuelan constitutional congress established as the executive power a triumvirate
in which three men shared executive power and rotated the presidency every week. At age 29, Mendoza became a member of the triumvirate that headed the First Republic of Venezuela and was unanimously elected by the other two as the first to go in rotation on 5 March 1811. As part of the triumvirate, Mendoza began the war for independence against the parts of Venezuela that still supported the Spanish Monarchy. He also was author of the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence, issued on 5 July 1811. While in office he formed part of the constitutional convention that designed and promulgated the first Constitution of the Republic of Venezuela in December 1811.
The First Republic fell following a royalist invasion led by Captain Domingo de Monteverde
. After that, Mendoza moved to the island of Grenada
. In 1813, Simón Bolívar
became president of the Second Republic of Venezuela and wrote to him: "You should come without delay: come. The country needs you. I will go ahead conquering and you will follow me organizing; because you are the organizer and I am the conqueror."
He returned to Venezuela and became governor of the province of Mérida
. Then, Bolívar appointed him governor of the province of Caracas
. In 1814, royalist forces invaded the second Republic, and Mendoza once again went into exile, this time to the Netherlands Antilles
. From there he wrote numerous articles in favor of the independence movement and against Spanish domination. He returned in 1821 after the Battle of Carabobo
assured Venezuelan independence and was designated Justice Minister of Gran Colombia
. In 1826 he became Intendant
of the Department of Venezuela.
Cristóbal Mendoza's life was marked by an unbreakable loyalty to Simón Bolívar and his ideals. At all times he stood for a federation of Latin American republics. He opposed the separatist efforts of José Antonio Páez
, who would later become president of Venezuela.
On his deathbed, he wrote his political will in a letter to Bolívar where he stated his possessions as being "the remembrance of my weak services for the republic and the memories of our lifelong friendship."
Cristóbal Mendoza died in Caracas
, 8 February 1829.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n politician. Cristobal became the first President of Venezuela in 1811.
Biography
He was born in Trujillo, Venezuela, on 23 June 1772 and was educated by his father in a Franciscan Monastery under the tutelage of Friar Antonio de Pereira. At the age of 16, he was sent to CaracasCaracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
to complete his education. In 1794 obtained his law degree. He went to Santo Domingo where he studied civil rights and returned to Venezuela in his late 20s.
In March 1811, the first Venezuelan constitutional congress established as the executive power a triumvirate
Triumvirate
A triumvirate is a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals, each a triumvir . The arrangement can be formal or informal, and though the three are usually equal on paper, in reality this is rarely the case...
in which three men shared executive power and rotated the presidency every week. At age 29, Mendoza became a member of the triumvirate that headed the First Republic of Venezuela and was unanimously elected by the other two as the first to go in rotation on 5 March 1811. As part of the triumvirate, Mendoza began the war for independence against the parts of Venezuela that still supported the Spanish Monarchy. He also was author of the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence, issued on 5 July 1811. While in office he formed part of the constitutional convention that designed and promulgated the first Constitution of the Republic of Venezuela in December 1811.
The First Republic fell following a royalist invasion led by Captain Domingo de Monteverde
Juan Domingo de Monteverde
Juan Domingo de Monteverde y Rivas , commonly known as Domingo de Monteverde, was a Spanish soldier, governor and Captain General of Venezuela from June 1812 to 8 August 1813. Monteverde was the leader of Spanish forces in the Venezuelan War of Independence from 1812 to 1813...
. After that, Mendoza moved to the island of Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
. In 1813, Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
became president of the Second Republic of Venezuela and wrote to him: "You should come without delay: come. The country needs you. I will go ahead conquering and you will follow me organizing; because you are the organizer and I am the conqueror."
He returned to Venezuela and became governor of the province of Mérida
Mérida (state)
Mérida State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Mérida.Mérida State covers a total surface area of 11,300 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 843,800.- Climate and Vegetation :...
. Then, Bolívar appointed him governor of the province of Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
. In 1814, royalist forces invaded the second Republic, and Mendoza once again went into exile, this time to the Netherlands Antilles
Netherlands Antilles
The Netherlands Antilles , also referred to informally as the Dutch Antilles, was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of two groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao , in Leeward Antilles just off the Venezuelan coast; and Sint...
. From there he wrote numerous articles in favor of the independence movement and against Spanish domination. He returned in 1821 after the Battle of Carabobo
Battle of Carabobo
The Battle of Carabobo, 24 June 1821, was fought between independence fighters, led by Simón Bolívar, and the Royalist forces, led by Spanish Field Marshal Miguel de la Torre. Bolívar's decisive victory at Carabobo led to the independence of Venezuela....
assured Venezuelan independence and was designated Justice Minister of Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia is a name used today for the state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America from 1819 to 1831. This short-lived republic included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, northern Peru and northwest Brazil. The...
. In 1826 he became Intendant
Intendant
The title of intendant has been used in several countries through history. Traditionally, it refers to the holder of a public administrative office...
of the Department of Venezuela.
Cristóbal Mendoza's life was marked by an unbreakable loyalty to Simón Bolívar and his ideals. At all times he stood for a federation of Latin American republics. He opposed the separatist efforts of José Antonio Páez
José Antonio Páez
José Antonio Páez Herrera was General in Chief of the army fighting Spain during the Venezuelan Wars of Independence, in addition to becoming the President of Venezuela once it was independent of the Gran Colombia...
, who would later become president of Venezuela.
On his deathbed, he wrote his political will in a letter to Bolívar where he stated his possessions as being "the remembrance of my weak services for the republic and the memories of our lifelong friendship."
Cristóbal Mendoza died in Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, 8 February 1829.