José María de los Dolores Francisco Germán del Espíritu Santo Bocanegra y Villalpando (Spanish pronunciation:[xosemaˈɾiaβokaˈneɣɾa]; 25 May 1787[1] – 23 July 1862) was a Mexican lawyer and statesman who was briefly interim president of Mexico in December 1829 during a coup attempt against president Vicente Guerrero. He previously served in various government positions, including President of the Chamber of Deputies and as a member of the Chamber of Deputies for Zacatecas.
He was appointed interim president by congress while President Guerrero personally led his troops against the insurrection. Five days later the rebels stormed the National Palace and overthrew Bocanegra, upon which they set up an executive triumvirate led by Pedro Velez.
Biography
Bocanegra graduated from the Colegio de San Ildefonso in Mexico City, becoming a lawyer. During the colonial period he was a lawyer for the Audiencia and a member of the College of Attorneys. He was vice-president of the Committee of Charity of the Hospice for the Poor. During the First Mexican Empire he supported Agustín de Iturbide's election to the throne, but opposed his later exercise of arbitrary power. He became a deputy to the first Mexican Constituent Congress in 1824.
Bocanegra entered the Chamber of Deputies in 1827, and on 26 January 1829, President Guadalupe Victoria named him Minister of Internal and External Relations. He continued to hold this position with the change of administration to Vicente Guerrero, until 1 April 1829.
On 4 December 1829, Vice-President Anastasio Bustamante rose in revolt against Guerrero (Plan de Jalapa). Guerrero received permission from Congress to take the field to combat the rebels. On 16 December 1829,[2] Bocanegra was appointed interim president by Congress during Guerrero's absence by virtue of his position as president of the Supreme Court. He took office on December 18[3] and served until 23 December 1829, for only six days. On the latter date, the military garrison of Mexico City joined the Plan de Jalapa and withdrew recognition of Bocanegra. They installed an executive triumvirate of Pedro Vélez, Lucas Alamán and Luis de Quintanar. Bocanegra returned to his professional duties as a lawyer.
Bocanegra was known as an honorable and capable man who was uncomfortable participating in politics but felt it to be his duty to do so. He wrote the Memorias para la Historia de México Independiente. His nephew Francisco González Bocanegra was the author of the Himno Nacional Mexicano (the Mexican National Anthem). José María Bocanegra died on 23 July 1862 in the Federal District.
Notes
^Bustamante was Vice President under Guerrero, and despite rebelling, he did not resign as Vice President and was not technically removed. Thus, he technically continued to serve as Bocanegra's Vice President.
^On December 23rd of 1829, an Executive Trimuvate was formed, and Bocanegra resigned. On December 31st, the Presidency was passed to Bustamante. During the trimunvate's existence, there technically wasn't a singular president, as the three men shared power. As such, Bustamante was the next president.
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