Juan de Torrezar Díaz Pimienta
Encyclopedia
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
) was a Spanish military officer and colonial official. He was twice governor of Cartagena de Indias, after which he was promoted to viceroy of New Granada
Viceroyalty of New Granada
The Viceroyalty of New Granada was the name given on 27 May 1717, to a Spanish colonial jurisdiction in northern South America, corresponding mainly to modern Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. The territory corresponding to Panama was incorporated later in 1739...
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Background
He was a brigadier in the royal army and a knight of the Order of Carlos III. In 1779 he was promoted to field marshal. He was governor of the province of Cartagena two times. The first time was from May 12, 1774 to September 14, 1780, and the second time was from May 1, 1781 to April 21, 1782.During his government, Lieutenant Antonio de Latorre founded 43 pueblos, in which 41,000 persons were settled. One of these was Montería
Montería
Montería is a municipality and city located in Northern Colombia and is the capital of the Department of Córdoba. The city is located away from the Caribbean, by the Sinú River. The city and region are famous for their distinct cultural heritages, which include a blend of indigenous Zenú Indians,...
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As viceroy of New Granada
He took possession of his new office on April 1, 1782, still in Cartagena. Before leaving that city, he announced a generous amnesty for those charged in the Revolt of the ComunerosRevolt of the Comuneros (New Granada)
The Revolt of the Comuneros was an uprising by the inhabitants of the Viceroyalty of New Granada against the Spanish authorities in 1781. While underlying causes may have been economic, ideas of freedom and self-government were expressed...
. On April 21 he left Cartagena to take up his new position in Santafé de Bogotá, the capital of the viceroyalty. He was already old and infirm, although he had recently married a 17-year-old Cartagena native, María de Salas. His predecessor, Manuel Antonio Flores
Manuel Antonio Flores
Manuel Antonio Flores Maldonado Martínez Ángulo y Bodquín was a general in the Spanish navy and viceroy of New Granada and New Spain .-Early career:Flores entered the royal navy of Spain, where he commanded various...
, a popular viceroy who had served more than 11 years in the office, had apparently been forced to resign by José de Gálvez
José de Gálvez
José de Gálvez y Gallardo, marqués de Sonora was a Spanish lawyer, a colonial official in New Spain and ultimately Minister of the Indies . He was one of the prime figures behind the Bourbon Reforms...
, Minister of the Indies in Spain, and Antonio Caballero y Góngora
Antonio Caballero y Góngora
Antonio Caballero y Góngora was a Spanish Roman Catholic prelate and, from 1782 to 1789, viceroy of New Granada....
, Archbishop of Bogotá.
Torrezal Díaz was received along the way at Honda by Archbishop Caballero y Góngora. A great banquet was held in his honor. It was said that the archbishop, who was present at the banquet, did not eat. Torrezal Díaz did, however. He arrived at the capital one week later (June 7). He was very sick and died in agony four days after his arrival. Some believed that he had been poisoned by the archbishop. The official report of his death said he died of infection. A sealed royal document intended to beopened only in the event of his death identified Archbishop Caballero y Góngora as his replacement.