Jose Balta Biography - A Stan Klos Company
BALTA, José, president of
Perú, died in Lima, Perú. 26 July 1872. At the beginning of his public career he
took part in the military operations consequent on the invasion of Perú by
President Santo Cruz, of Bolivia, in 1836. He was an actor in the various
Peruvian revolutions, was distinguished in the defeat of the Spaniards on 2 May
1866, and in 1867 led a revolt against the dictator - president, Prado, and
drove him into temporary exile in Chile.
Colonel Balta was elected president for four years by a
large majority in April 1868, and inaugurated on 2 August His administration was
on the whole prosperous and popular; but he burdened the country with immense
loans for the purpose of building railroads. In the presidential contest of 1872
the vote was so close that the election was thrown into the congress, and when
it became evident that Dr. Arenas, the administration candidate, would be
defeated, Balta was strongly urged by General Gutiérrez, his minister of war, to
declare himself dictator. But the president refused to do this, and made public
his intention of resigning his office, on the expiration of his term, to the
successor appointed by congress.
This did not suit Gutiérrez, and he immediately seized and
imprisoned Balta, and proclaimed himself supreme chief of the republic. This
usurpation was of brief duration. The new dictator had few sympathizers, and
four days after his coup d'etat a disturbance took place in which
Silvestre Gutiérrez, his brother and minister of war, was killed. In revenge,
the usurper gave orders to kill Balta, and the latter was shot in his prison as
he lay ill, July 22 (others say 26), 1872. That night the populace of Lima rose
in insurrection. Gutiérrez, after a vain attempt to escape, was killed, and the
legal president, Pardo, was inaugurated soon afterward.
Edited Appletons Encyclopedia by John Looby, Copyright © 2001
VirtualologyTM
BALTA, Jose, president of Peru, died in Lima, Peru. 26 July 1872. At the beginning of his public career he took part in the military operations consequent on the invasion of Peru by President Santo Cruz, of Bolivia, in 1836. He was an actor in the various Peruvian revolutions, was distinguished in the defeat of the Spaniards on 2 May 1866, and in 1867 led a revolt against the dictator - president, Prado, and drove him into temporary exile in Chili. Colonel Balta was elected president for four years by a large majority in April 1868, and inaugurated on 2 August His administration was on the whole prosperous and popular; but he burdened the country with immense loans for the purpose of building railroads. In the presidential contest of 1872 the vote was so close that the election was thrown into the congress, and when it became evident that Dr. Arenas, the administration candidate, would be defeated. Balta was strongly urged by General Gutigirez, his minister of war, to declare himself dictator. But the president refused to do this, and made public his intention of resigning his office, on the expiration of his term, to the successor appointed by congress. This did not suit Gutidrrez, and he immediately seized and imprisoned Balta, and proclaimed himself supreme chief of the republic. This usurpation was of brief duration. The new dictator had few sympathizers, and four days after his coup d'etat a disturbance took place in which Silvestre Gutidrrez, his brother and minister of war, was killed, in revenge, the usurper gave orders to kill Balta, and the latter was shot in his prison as he lay ill, July 22 (others say 26), 1872. That night the populace of Lima rose in insurrection. Guti6rrez, after a vain attempt to escape, was killed, and the legal president, Pardo, was inaugurated soon afterward.
