Marcos Paz

This article is about the politician. For city in Greater Buenos Aires, see Marcos Paz, Buenos Aires. For the administrative subdivision, see Marcos Paz Partido.

Marcos Paz
3rd Vice President of Argentina
In office October 12, 1862 – January 2, 1868
Preceded by	Juan Esteban Pedernera
Succeeded by	Adolfo Alsina
Personal details
Born	1813 San Miguel de Tucumán
Died	January 2, 1868 (aged 54–55) Buenos Aires
Spouse(s)	Micaela Cascallares
Relations	Agustina Paz de Roca(Sister) Alejo Julio Argentino Roca(Nephew)

Marcos Paz (1813 – January 2, 1868) was Governor of Córdoba and Tucumán Provinces, an Argentine Senator, and Vice President of Argentina from October 12, 1862 until his death in 1868.

Biography

Marcos Paz was born to a prominent Tucuman family in 1813. He earned a law degree in 1834. He married the former Micaela Cascallares, daughter of a wealthy landowner, and settled with her in Buenos Aires.

After the fall of Juan Manuel de Rosas in 1852 he joined Justo José de Urquiza in his fight against Bartolomé Mitre's forces in Buenos Aires, and joined Col. Hilario Lagos as an adjutant; the siege was ultimately unsuccessful.

Elected Governor of Tucumán in 1858, Paz took part in the San José de Flores Pact of 1859, which helped secure national unity, and was elected to the 1860 convention that produced the first amendments to the Constitution of Argentina. He then assisted Gen. Wesceslao Paunero, who was sent as an envoy by Mitre to other provincial leaders, and served briefly in his stead as Governor of Córdoba, from December 1861 to March 1862.

An erstwhile foe, Buenos Aires leader Bartolomé Mitre, befriended Paz during earlier negotiations, and nominated him as running mate for the 1862 elections. Mitre had obtained significant concessions for Buenos Aires following his victory at the Battle of Pavón in 1861, and the choice of Paz, who as a supporter of the Argentine Confederation would have otherwise be an opponent, was part of Mitre's bid to placate separatist sentiment outside Buenos Aires Province. The duo won unanimously in the electoral college, and Paz became Vice-President of Argentina.

When Mitre was away commanding the allied forces during the War of the Triple Alliance, Paz fulfilled the role of acting President. He died in office on January 2, 1868, in Buenos Aires, as a victim of a Cholera epidemic, and Mitre had to return to Argentina to resume his position as President.

Legacy

The Marcos Paz Partido, administrative division of Buenos Aires Province and its capital, the town of Marcos Paz are named after him.

External links

• (Spanish) Official site

Political offices
Preceded by Felix de la Peña	Governor of Córdoba 1861 - 1862	Succeeded by Wenceslao Paunero
Preceded by Juan Esteban Pedernera	Vice President of Argentina 1862-1868	Succeeded by Adolfo Alsina

Persondata
Name	Paz, Marcos
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1813
Place of birth	San Miguel de Tucumán
Date of death	January 2, 1868
Place of death	Buenos Aires