Hilarión Daza
Encyclopedia
Hilarión Daza Groselle was President of Bolivia
from 1876 to 1879.
A career military officer and native of Sucre
, Daza came to power on May 4, 1876 in a coup against the constitutional president Tomás Frías
. He was supported by much of the country's financial elite because of his avowal to maintain order and stability. To a large extent, Daza entered the Palacio Quemado
with a desire to create Bolivian control over the remote, sparsely-populated maritime province of Litoral. By the late 1870s, the latter was already settled mostly by Chileans, who found access to the region much easier than did the highland Bolivians. Predictably, a corollary of this growing physical and economic Chilean presence in the region was its irrendentist claim by Santiago, especially when rich deposits of guano were discovered near the Bolivian port of Mejillones.
To make matters worse, Daza was facing an ongoing recession and the effects of the most severe drought in Bolivian history up to that point. Daza hoped to gather the support of nationalist Bolivians to strengthen his internal position from insurrections, a massive demonstration by artisans in Sucre
, and widespread opposition. For these reasons, he rescinded the treaty (quite favorable to Chile) that had been signed in 1874 by President Frías freeing from Bolivian taxation all Chilean citizens living and working in the now disputed Litoral region. Chile threatened war, and Daza immediately invoked an existing self-defense pact/alliance with Peru. In February and March 1879, Chilean troops invaded and occupied the Litoral, sparking the War of the Pacific
.
Following the Chilean occupation of the Peruvian port of Pisagua
, the combined forces of Peru and Bolivia where supposed to surround Chilean forces in an ambitious pincer manoeuvre. However, the Bolivian army never took part in the subsequent battle of San Francisco for the latter(the Bolivians?)retreated before the combat began. At that point, Bolivian troops headed off for the heights of the Andes, ostensibly to defend the core of the country (the Altiplano) on terrain much better known by Bolivian fighting men, and better suited to them. If this was indeed the goal, it was never met, for the Camarones(who is this?)withdrawal only led to the outright annexation of the now-uncontested Litoral province by Chile, and to the abandonment of Peru to fight the rest of the war alone against an enemy that eventually came to occupy its capital of Lima. The Camarones debacle led to the unseating of Daza on December 28, 1879, when a Council of State was convened. The latter would name Narciso Campero
Constitutional President on January 19, 1880. As for Daza, he remained briefly in Peru and then went into exile
in France
with a sizable portion of Bolivia's treasury.
A controversial figure to say the least, Daza was blamed for the Bolivia's defeat. In 1894, the ex-president decided to return to Bolivia and explain himself, confident that he would be absolved of any wrongdoing, whether illegal act of incompetency. He appeared to hint that Bolivian silver mining elites tied to Chilean capitalist interests had influenced his administration to produce the abandonment of Peru at Camarones and thereafter. Most of these elites were associated with the Conservative Party of Bolivia, which had been in power since soon after Daza's ouster. Daza was murdered in the train station
of Uyuni
soon after entering Bolivian soil on February 27, 1894. The people of Bolivia placed responsibility for this crime squarely on the government of President Mariano Baptista
, but nothing was ever proven.
President of Bolivia
The President of Bolivia is head of state and head of government of Bolivia. According to the current Constitution, the president is elected by popular vote to a five year term, renewable once...
from 1876 to 1879.
A career military officer and native of Sucre
Sucre
Sucre, also known historically as Charcas, La Plata and Chuquisaca is the constitutional capital of Bolivia and the capital of the department of Chuquisaca. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of 2750m...
, Daza came to power on May 4, 1876 in a coup against the constitutional president Tomás Frías
Tomás Frías Ametller
Tomás Frías Ametller was a noted politician who served twice as president of Bolivia . Tomás Frías Province is named after him....
. He was supported by much of the country's financial elite because of his avowal to maintain order and stability. To a large extent, Daza entered the Palacio Quemado
Palacio Quemado
The Palacio Quemado is a popular name to denote the Bolivian Palace of Government, located on Plaza Murillo in downtown La Paz. It is the building from which the Bolivian executive conducts its business.The building has had many incarnations...
with a desire to create Bolivian control over the remote, sparsely-populated maritime province of Litoral. By the late 1870s, the latter was already settled mostly by Chileans, who found access to the region much easier than did the highland Bolivians. Predictably, a corollary of this growing physical and economic Chilean presence in the region was its irrendentist claim by Santiago, especially when rich deposits of guano were discovered near the Bolivian port of Mejillones.
To make matters worse, Daza was facing an ongoing recession and the effects of the most severe drought in Bolivian history up to that point. Daza hoped to gather the support of nationalist Bolivians to strengthen his internal position from insurrections, a massive demonstration by artisans in Sucre
Sucre
Sucre, also known historically as Charcas, La Plata and Chuquisaca is the constitutional capital of Bolivia and the capital of the department of Chuquisaca. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of 2750m...
, and widespread opposition. For these reasons, he rescinded the treaty (quite favorable to Chile) that had been signed in 1874 by President Frías freeing from Bolivian taxation all Chilean citizens living and working in the now disputed Litoral region. Chile threatened war, and Daza immediately invoked an existing self-defense pact/alliance with Peru. In February and March 1879, Chilean troops invaded and occupied the Litoral, sparking the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
.
Following the Chilean occupation of the Peruvian port of Pisagua
Pisagua
Pisagua is a Chilean port on the Pacific Ocean, located in Huara comuna , in Tarapacá Region, northern Chile. In 2007, the new province of El Tamarugal was established and the comuna of Huara, previously within the province of Iquique, was incorporated to the newly created province.-Early...
, the combined forces of Peru and Bolivia where supposed to surround Chilean forces in an ambitious pincer manoeuvre. However, the Bolivian army never took part in the subsequent battle of San Francisco for the latter(the Bolivians?)retreated before the combat began. At that point, Bolivian troops headed off for the heights of the Andes, ostensibly to defend the core of the country (the Altiplano) on terrain much better known by Bolivian fighting men, and better suited to them. If this was indeed the goal, it was never met, for the Camarones(who is this?)withdrawal only led to the outright annexation of the now-uncontested Litoral province by Chile, and to the abandonment of Peru to fight the rest of the war alone against an enemy that eventually came to occupy its capital of Lima. The Camarones debacle led to the unseating of Daza on December 28, 1879, when a Council of State was convened. The latter would name Narciso Campero
Narciso Campero
General Narciso Campero Leyes was president of Bolivia from 1880 to 1884. The Narciso Campero Province was named after him.The offspring of a rich land-owning family from Tarija, he was educated at Chuquisaca's St...
Constitutional President on January 19, 1880. As for Daza, he remained briefly in Peru and then went into exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with a sizable portion of Bolivia's treasury.
A controversial figure to say the least, Daza was blamed for the Bolivia's defeat. In 1894, the ex-president decided to return to Bolivia and explain himself, confident that he would be absolved of any wrongdoing, whether illegal act of incompetency. He appeared to hint that Bolivian silver mining elites tied to Chilean capitalist interests had influenced his administration to produce the abandonment of Peru at Camarones and thereafter. Most of these elites were associated with the Conservative Party of Bolivia, which had been in power since soon after Daza's ouster. Daza was murdered in the train station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
of Uyuni
Uyuni
Uyuni is a city in the southwest of Bolivia. It primarily serves as a gateway for tourists visiting the world's largest salt flats, the nearby Salar de Uyuni.-Origin:...
soon after entering Bolivian soil on February 27, 1894. The people of Bolivia placed responsibility for this crime squarely on the government of President Mariano Baptista
Mariano Baptista
Mariano Baptista Caserta was President of Bolivia during the 1892-96 period. A member of the Conservative Party, he was renowned for his stirring oratorical style....
, but nothing was ever proven.