NICOLÁS DE PIÉROLA

NICOLÁS DE PIÉROLA


Nicolás Fernández de Piérola Villena, nicknamed El Califa, was a Peruvian politician, who occupied the Presidency of Peru in two opportunities, from 1879 to 1881 and from 1895 until 1899. He contracted nuptials with Jesusa de Iturbide, daughter of the Prince Imperial of Mexico Agustín Jerónimo and granddaughter of the Emperor Agustín I.

He was born in Camaná - Arequipa January 5, 1839. During the years from 1869 to 1871 he was Minister of finance in the Government of José Balta. The so-called contract Dreyfus, which was granted to the French firm Dreyfus of Paris the monopoly of guano export was signed under its management.

Between 1874 and 1877 he attempted to repeatedly to overthrow the Governments of Manuel Pardo and Mariano Ignacio Prado. Being defeated, he had to go into exile in Bolivia and Chile. In 1879, with the onset of the war with Chile and the absence of the President Mariano Ignacio Prado, he staged a coup and took power, as Supreme head. It ruled the country until the Chilean troops occupied Lima in 1881. Then established his Government in the Peruvian Andes, resigning in November 1881.

In 1882, he founded the Democratic Party and organized guerrilla games in 1895, after allying with the Civil Party, and came to occupy the city of Lima, causing the resignation of the then President Andrés A. Cáceres. After which he was elected President of the Republic.

Up to finish his second term in 1899 made major economic reforms. He died in Lima on June 23, 1913. According to Guillermo Thorndike, he was the architect of the national reconstruction and who opened the stage called aristocratic Republic.