José Tomás Ovalle
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José Tomás Ovalle y Bezanilla (1788 - March 8, 1831) was a Chilean political figure. He served twice as provisional president of Chile.
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[edit] Early life
He was born in Santiago, the son of Vicente Ovalle and of María del Rosario Bezanilla. He studied in the Convictorio Carolino and law at the Universidad de San Felipe, where he obtained his doctorate in 1809. Ovalle was twice elected deputy for Santiago (1823 and 1824-1825), supplementary senador (1824), Vice presidente of the Provincial Assembly of Santiago and was a delegate to the Plenipotenciaries Congress of 1830, being elected Vice president.
[edit] Revolution of 1829
When the Chilean Revolution of 1829 broke out between the conservative centralists and the liberal federalists, President Francisco Antonio Pinto was forced twice to leave the post of president to Francisco Ramón Vicuña. First, from July 14 to October 19, when Vicuña assumed as President Delegate, and then finally when he resigned on November 2 and Vicuña assumed power.
On December 7, 1829 the conservative troops under General José Joaquín Prieto, commander of the southern army, approached Santiago from the South. The conservative army decided to halt the march onto Santiago for a while and camped a few miles outside the city. The government under Vicuña fled northward to Coquimbo. On December 14, 1829 General Prieto and his troops met the liberal army under Francisco de la Lastra and beat them at the Battle of Ochagavía. Then, the two military leaders signed a peace treaty, which complicated the political situation further. Meanwhile President Vicuña and his ministers where imprisoned by the victorious conservative troops.
[edit] First administration
Chile was without a leader for a few weeks (from December 7 to 24, 1829) until a new governmental junta was organized and took control, in order to avoid the continuance of hostilities, under a neutral José Tomás Ovalle who was acceptable to both sides. This junta ruled the country from December 24, 1829 to February 18, 1830. Finally an agreement was found with the involvement of Ramón Freire which nominated Francisco Ruiz-Tagle as acting president.
[edit] Second administration
Because of internal dissent with his ministers, Ruiz-Tagle resigned six weeks later on March 31, 1830 and was succeeded by vice-president Ovalle who assumed as a transitional president, and held the position until his sudden death on March 8, 1831.
After José Tomás Ovalle died, he was replaced by the President of the Plenipotentiaries Congress, Fernando Errázuriz, who took over on March 31, 1831 with the title of Accidental Vice President of the Republic. Errázuriz called new elections, were General José Joaquín Prieto was elected. General Prieto was installed on September 18, 1831, and thus began the era of the decade goverments.
[edit] Trivia
On 2004, his remains were found during restoration work on the Santiago Cathedral, where they had been buried (and lost track of) in 1831.
| Preceded by: Francisco Ramón Vicuña |
President of the Government Junta 1829-1830 |
Succeeded by: Francisco Ruiz-Tagle |
| Preceded by: Francisco Ruiz-Tagle |
President of Chile 1830-1831 |
Succeeded by: Fernando Errázuriz |
| Presidents of Chile |  |
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| Blanco Encalada | Freire | Pinto Díaz | Prieto | Bulnes | Montt Torres | Pérez | Errázuriz Zañartu | Pinto Garmendia | Santa María | Balmaceda | Montt Álvarez | Errázuriz Echaurren | Riesco | Montt Montt | Barros Luco | Sanfuentes | Alessandri Palma | Figueroa | Ibáñez del Campo | Montero | Aguirre Cerda | Ríos | González Videla | Alessandri Rodríguez | Frei Montalva | Allende | Pinochet | Aylwin | Frei Ruiz-Tagle | Lagos | Bachelet | ||||
