Fernando de la Mora (politician)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Fernando de la Mora

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Img_capt = Fernando de la Mora
Background =
Birth_name = Fernando de la Mora
Alias =
Born = birth date|1775|06|20
Limpio, Paraguay
Died = death date and age|1835|05|14|1775|06|20
Asunción, Paraguay
Genre = Politician
Occupation = Attorney, Military
Years_active =
Label =
Associated_acts =
URL =

Fernando de la Mora was one of the founding fathers of the Independence of Paraguayan. He participated in the defense of Viceroyalty of the River Plate against English Invasions 1806 and 1807.

Following the consummation of the Paraguayan Independence, he formed a government board chaired by founding father Fulgencio Yegros, of which Fernando de la Mora was Vocal secretary.

Educated man and possessor of an attractive personality, he was related to social and commercial ties with major patrician families of Buenos Aires.He was part of the small rural elite form Asuncion.

Childhood and youth

Born in Tapu-a zone of Limpio 1875, (hence in 1811 had 36 years of age). His parents were Artillery captain Fernando de la Mora and Mrs Ana del Cazal. Both belonged to families of lineage, descendants of Don Domingo Martinez de Irala.

Fernando received careful education. It is presumed that he studied at the College of San Carlos Asuncion. He studied in Buenos Aires and University of Cordoba. He also studied Law becoming one of the most educated citizens of the time.

His family

De la Mora had five brothers (Mora Del Casal) under the name Rosa Isabel de la Mora, and married Mariano Antonio Martínez Viana, who was Congressman in 1811. From this marriage Francisca Carlota "Pancha" Viana de la Mora was born. Among his descendants were Juan Pablo Carrillo Viana, wife of Don Carlos Antonio López and mother of Marshal Francisco Solano Lopez.

He was married to Josefa Antonia Coene, and had five children.

He was introduced in the export trade business, the environment that gave Mora good relationships with his peers and enough responsibility to consolidate these contacts. His father died in 1801, and Fernando took over the management of family property.

Public life

In 1802 he was appointed deputy of Asuncion by the Consulate of Buenos Aires representing the union of merchants, acting skillfully in this position until 1804. His staying in the port was useful to consolidate his friendship relationships with some of the families of lineage in the city. He appeared in the last stages of Paraguayan colonial life. He served with the degree of “alférez” integrating forces in the province of Paraguay highlighted by Bernardo de Velazco to expel the British from Montevideo, which they occupied in 1807.

He appeared as regent of the City Hall of Asuncion towards 1810.

De la Mora was a strong supporter of independence. He maintained an old conspiratorial attitude in favor of the emancipation of Spain. Produced the coup of May 1811, in consideration of his personal virtues, his culture and education, it was crucial to organize the new independent government.

On 17 June 1811 he met the First Congress of emancipated Paraguay. On the proposal of Mariano Antonio Molas, that Congress stripped from all command to Bernardo de Velazco and Huidobro, and created the Senior Governing Board formed with the head of the province's most prestigious man, Colonel Fulgencio Yegros as president.

As members it included Dr. Gaspar Rodriguez de Francia, a skilled civilian figure, the young captain Pedro Juan Caballero representative of the troops that had defeated the invasion of Buenos Aires, a religious man, priest Francisco Xavier Bogarin and finally Don Fernando de la Mora, a civilian without restrictions, who was linked to the Paraguayan society.

Soon after he had assumed his duties de la Mora was commissioned to lead a punitive expedition against Mbaya Indians north of the province. In November 1812 he was sent to the Villa Real of Concepcion with orders to recover Fort Borbon which had been occupied by the portuguese during the riots of Independence. Having noticed the withdrawal of the forces belonging to the strong neighboring Coimbra, Mora organized the City Hall of Concepcion, created by decree of the Board on 12 November 1812.

In the absence of Mora, at meetings of the Board, and for almost the entire year of 1812 Dr. Francia went on to become the brain of the project. In the knowledge that Mora was an open opponent to his ideas, he responded with a deep antipathy. It accused the intention of joining Paraguay with Buenos Aires and particularly the loss of secret documents from the State. He was referring to the additional article of the treaty of 12 October signed on Asuncion with the senator Manuel Belgrano, which the Triumvirate of Buenos Aires used to unjustifiably apply taxes to Paraguayan tobacco.

Since the signing of the Treaty of above 12 October serious disagreements arose with Buenos Aires.

Persecution

Gaspar Rodriguez de Francia, with clear intentions to enter the supreme power of the new Paraguayan Republic and with the presence in the Board of a prestigious civilian like Dr. Fernando de la Mora, illustrated and shrewd man, he started a disqualifying action against his colleagues because, starting with de la Mora, this was the main obstacle to get rid of France, given his status as Doctor of Law.

Indeed he was definitely suspended, in the absence of the person concerned, by resolution of 21 August 1813.

Death

Imprisoned in 1820, nine years after seeing his patriotic dream come true.

His end was uncertain. Some argue that he possibly died in prison by the year 1835 or maybe after he was released.

While other hypotheses say that Fernando de la Mora might have died chained

Tribute

The order of 6 October 1923 of the Municipality of Asuncion decided to pay tribute to this founding father, instituting his name to the extensive avenue that begins on the streets “General Santos” until “Defensores del Chaco” Avenue

Fernando de la Mora left two important documents: the Bando 6 January 1812 and Instruction for the Schoolteacher.

References

* Builders of Paraguay. Omar Quiroga
* The Supreme dictator. Julio César Cháves, 1945
* EVP - Wikipedia
* [http://www.evp.edu.py/index.php?title=Portada Enciclopedia Virtual Paraguaya - Portal ]

External links

* [http://www.paraguay.com/history/period_of_independence.php Period of Independence]