Diego Portales
Encyclopedia
Diego José Pedro Víctor Portales Palazuelos (June 16, 1793 - June 6, 1837) was a Chilean statesman and entrepreneur
. As a minister of president José Joaquín Prieto
Diego Portales played a pivotal role in shaping the state and government politics in the 19th century, delivering with the Constitution of 1833
the framework of the Chilean state for almost a century. Portales influential political stance included unitarianism, presidentialism and conservatism
which led to consolidate Chile as a constitutional authoritarian republic with democracy restricted to include only the upper class
.
While deeply unpopular during his lifetime the murder of Portales in 1837 during a mutiny has been judged a decisive factor during the War of the Confederation
by switching Chilean public opinion to support the war against the Peru–Bolivian Confederation.
, the son of María Fernández de Palazuelos and José Santiago Portales y Larraín, a superintendent of the royal mint. He did his primary studies at the Colegio de Santiago, and in 1813, attended law classes at the National Institute. As the men of his family had all become successful merchants, Portales also eventually assumed the position of a merchant, taking part in his prosperous and distinguished family’s occupation.
On August 15, 1819 he married his cousin, Josefa Portales Larraín. He had two daughters with her, both of whom died within days of their birth. His wife died also very soon in 1821. He never remarried after that, but took Constanza Nordenflicht as his mistress, with whom he had three children.
In July 1821, he resigned his job at the Mint and went into business. He opened a trading house, Portales, Cea and Co., based in Valparaiso
with a branch in Lima
, Peru. He bid and obtained the management of the government monopoly on tobacco, tea, and liquor (known in Spanish as estanco). In exchange for the monopoly, he offered to service the full amount of the Chilean foreign debt. Nonetheless, in the anarchy that was regnant in Chile at the time, there was no means of enforcing a monopoly because the government could not regulate sales of tobacco, tea, and liquor, and the company eventually went bankrupt. So his contract with the government was voided and the Chilean government was found to owe Portales 87,000 pesos. Out of this unsuccessful business venture, the only remnant was the name eventually applied to his political followers, who in time came to be known as the estanqueros (monopolists.)
After the triumph of the conservatives in the Revolution of 1829, President José Tomás Ovalle
named him Minister of the Interior and Foreign Affairs
on April 6, 1830 remaining until May 1831. He was named again to that position by President Fernando Errázuriz
on July 9, 1831 and remained until August 31, 1831 and named once again by President José Joaquín Prieto
from November 9, 1835 to January 1837. Something similar happened with his nomination as minister of war and navy from April 6, 1830 until May 1831; then from July 9, 1831 until December 1832 and from September 21, 1835 to September 1836.
Though Portales was never president officially (and in fact avoided this position for fear of being tied up by factional promises), he became a dictator and with this powerful position, he quelled anarchy. Portales set up a civil militia (which ended one of the worst stages of militarism in Chile's history); supported an oligarchic control for landowners, miners, and merchants; and made Catholicism the state religion. As a result of his campaign for peace, order, and thus progress, business also improved.
The Chilean government, in order to bolster its standing, immediately imposed martial law and asked for (and obtained) extraordinary legislative powers from Congress. Early in 1837 a Court Martial Law was approved and given jurisdiction over all citizens for the duration of the war. The opposition to the Prieto
administration immediately accused Portales of tyranny, and started a heated press campaign against him personally and the unpopular war in general.
Political and public opposition to war immediately affected the army, fresh from the purges of the civil war of 1830. On June 3, 1837, Colonel José Antonio Vidaurre
, commander of the Maipo regiment, captured and imprisoned Portales while he was reviewing troops at the army barracks in Quillota
. Vidaurre immediately proceeded to attack Valparaíso
on the mistaken belief that public opinion opposed to the war would support him and topple the government. Rear Admiral Manuel Blanco Encalada
, in charge of the defense, defeated him right outside the port at the Battle of Barón. Captain Santiago Florín, who was in charge of Portales, had him shot when he heard of the news, on June 6, 1837. Most of the conspirators were subsequently captured and executed.
This murder turned the tide of Chilean public opinion. The government derogated Martial law and the country rallied behind the government. The war became a holy cause, and Portales a martyr.
as an independent and sovereign Latin America
n country, and his influence in the Chilean Constitution of 1833
, which is considered the most important milestone of Chilean institutionality during the 19th century. His ideals and principles served as a foundation to the Chilean government of the future. His work was especially influential during the years of political learning of the post-independence turmoil and during the governments of the Conservative Republic (1830–1861) and in a lesser degree the governments of the Liberal Republic (1861–1891)
Metropolitan Cathedral during renovation projects, where build a cript.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
. As a minister of president José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto Vial was a Chilean military and political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1831 and 1841. José Joaquín Prieto was of Spanish and Basque descent.-Early life:...
Diego Portales played a pivotal role in shaping the state and government politics in the 19th century, delivering with the Constitution of 1833
Chilean Constitution of 1833
thumb|right|200px|Painting of Diego Portales. The Constitution of 1833 has been seen as the embodiement of the "Portalian thought".The Constitution of 1833 was the constitution used in Chile from 1833 to 1925 when it was replaced by the Constitution of 1925...
the framework of the Chilean state for almost a century. Portales influential political stance included unitarianism, presidentialism and conservatism
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
which led to consolidate Chile as a constitutional authoritarian republic with democracy restricted to include only the upper class
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
.
While deeply unpopular during his lifetime the murder of Portales in 1837 during a mutiny has been judged a decisive factor during the War of the Confederation
War of the Confederation
The War of the Confederation , was a conflict between the Peru-Bolivian Confederation on one side and Chile, Peruvian dissidents and Argentina, on the other, fought mostly in the actual territory of Peru and which ended with a Confederate defeat and the dissolution of the...
by switching Chilean public opinion to support the war against the Peru–Bolivian Confederation.
Early life
Diego Portales was born in SantiagoSantiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, the son of María Fernández de Palazuelos and José Santiago Portales y Larraín, a superintendent of the royal mint. He did his primary studies at the Colegio de Santiago, and in 1813, attended law classes at the National Institute. As the men of his family had all become successful merchants, Portales also eventually assumed the position of a merchant, taking part in his prosperous and distinguished family’s occupation.
On August 15, 1819 he married his cousin, Josefa Portales Larraín. He had two daughters with her, both of whom died within days of their birth. His wife died also very soon in 1821. He never remarried after that, but took Constanza Nordenflicht as his mistress, with whom he had three children.
In July 1821, he resigned his job at the Mint and went into business. He opened a trading house, Portales, Cea and Co., based in Valparaiso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
with a branch in Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Peru. He bid and obtained the management of the government monopoly on tobacco, tea, and liquor (known in Spanish as estanco). In exchange for the monopoly, he offered to service the full amount of the Chilean foreign debt. Nonetheless, in the anarchy that was regnant in Chile at the time, there was no means of enforcing a monopoly because the government could not regulate sales of tobacco, tea, and liquor, and the company eventually went bankrupt. So his contract with the government was voided and the Chilean government was found to owe Portales 87,000 pesos. Out of this unsuccessful business venture, the only remnant was the name eventually applied to his political followers, who in time came to be known as the estanqueros (monopolists.)
Political career
Soon after, he aligned with the conservatives in the political fights that were wracking Chile at the time. As aforementioned, in 1824, Portales’ business firm acquired control over the government’s monopoly of tobacco, tea, and liquor; however, the country's troubled conditions soon thwarted his profitable business. For these reasons, Portales finally entered into the political sphere, and very soon he would become the intellectual leader of the conservative side. He helped to reorganize the conservative party, and, in 1827, founded El Hambriento (or The Starveling), a journal attacking liberal idealists known as the pipiolos (“white beaks”) from Portales’ party’s (a.k.a. the pelucones or “old wigs”) perspective. Portales was an effective satirist, contributing several popular articles to The Starveling. Portales' articles placed him in the limelight and paved the way for his political career.José Tomás Ovalle
José Tomás Ovalle y Bezanilla was a Chilean political figure. He served twice as provisional president of Chile.-Early life:...
named him Minister of the Interior and Foreign Affairs
Ministry of the Interior (Chile)
The Ministry of the Interior and Public Security is the cabinet-level administrative office in charge of "maintaining public order, security and social peace" within Chile. It is also charged with planning, directing, coordinating, executing, controlling, and informing the domestic policies...
on April 6, 1830 remaining until May 1831. He was named again to that position by President Fernando Errázuriz
Fernando Errázuriz
Fernando de Errázuriz y Martínez de Aldunate , also known as Fernando Errázuriz Aldunate, was a Chilean political figure. He served as provisional president of Chile in 1831. He was of Basque descent....
on July 9, 1831 and remained until August 31, 1831 and named once again by President José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto Vial was a Chilean military and political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1831 and 1841. José Joaquín Prieto was of Spanish and Basque descent.-Early life:...
from November 9, 1835 to January 1837. Something similar happened with his nomination as minister of war and navy from April 6, 1830 until May 1831; then from July 9, 1831 until December 1832 and from September 21, 1835 to September 1836.
Though Portales was never president officially (and in fact avoided this position for fear of being tied up by factional promises), he became a dictator and with this powerful position, he quelled anarchy. Portales set up a civil militia (which ended one of the worst stages of militarism in Chile's history); supported an oligarchic control for landowners, miners, and merchants; and made Catholicism the state religion. As a result of his campaign for peace, order, and thus progress, business also improved.
Political Philosophy
In 1822, before his rise to power Portales wrote to a friend:Politics doesn’t interest me, but as a good citizen I feel free to express my opinions and to censure the government. Democracy, which is so loudly proclaimed by the deluded is an absurdity in our countries, flooded as they are with vices and with their citizens lacking all sense of civic virtue, the prerequisite to establishing a real Republic. But monarchy is not the American ideal either; if we get out of one terrible government just to jump headlong into another, what will we have gained? The Republican system is the one which we must adopt, but do you know how I interpret it for our countries? A strong central government whose representatives will be men of true virtue and patriotism, and who thus can direct the citizens along the path of order and progress.These words are demonstrative of the skepticism in pure democracies that the recently failed French revolution impressed upon many. Portales believed that to avoid disaster it was most important to create a stable and functioning government, rather than one ruled by lofty but ultimately impractical ideals. He believed in a peaceful but strong central government, and that in order to successfully run a state or country, citizens must be virtuous and patriotic and must consider the law as higher than any leader. Beyond these beliefs, Portales had no static political beliefs. Instead he tried to govern on a case by case basis, legislating what he deemed right for each particular instance.
Assassination
José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto Vial was a Chilean military and political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1831 and 1841. José Joaquín Prieto was of Spanish and Basque descent.-Early life:...
administration immediately accused Portales of tyranny, and started a heated press campaign against him personally and the unpopular war in general.
Political and public opposition to war immediately affected the army, fresh from the purges of the civil war of 1830. On June 3, 1837, Colonel José Antonio Vidaurre
Jose Antonio Vidaurre
Colonel José Antonio Vidaurre Garretón was a Chilean military officer who led a failed insurrection in 1837 that culminated in the assassination of minister Diego Portales....
, commander of the Maipo regiment, captured and imprisoned Portales while he was reviewing troops at the army barracks in Quillota
Quillota
Quillota is a city and commune located in the Aconcagua River valley of central Chile's Valparaíso Region. It is the capital and largest city of the Quillota Province where many inhabitants live in the surrounding farm areas of San Isidro, La Palma, Pocochay, and San Pedro...
. Vidaurre immediately proceeded to attack Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
on the mistaken belief that public opinion opposed to the war would support him and topple the government. Rear Admiral Manuel Blanco Encalada
Manuel Blanco Encalada
Manuel José Blanco y Calvo de Encalada was a Vice-Admiral in the Chilean Navy, a political figure, and Chile's first President .-Biography:...
, in charge of the defense, defeated him right outside the port at the Battle of Barón. Captain Santiago Florín, who was in charge of Portales, had him shot when he heard of the news, on June 6, 1837. Most of the conspirators were subsequently captured and executed.
This murder turned the tide of Chilean public opinion. The government derogated Martial law and the country rallied behind the government. The war became a holy cause, and Portales a martyr.
Legacy
Portales’ reign helped to pick up business and accelerate the growth of the economy. Those who particularly benefited from his conservative rule were the already rich. Additionally, Portales helped Chile maintain a good deal of stability relative to many of the other Latin American nations. This was accomplished by Portales’ improvement and renewal of the administration of the State, his strategic vision of ChileChile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
as an independent and sovereign Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n country, and his influence in the Chilean Constitution of 1833
Chilean Constitution of 1833
thumb|right|200px|Painting of Diego Portales. The Constitution of 1833 has been seen as the embodiement of the "Portalian thought".The Constitution of 1833 was the constitution used in Chile from 1833 to 1925 when it was replaced by the Constitution of 1925...
, which is considered the most important milestone of Chilean institutionality during the 19th century. His ideals and principles served as a foundation to the Chilean government of the future. His work was especially influential during the years of political learning of the post-independence turmoil and during the governments of the Conservative Republic (1830–1861) and in a lesser degree the governments of the Liberal Republic (1861–1891)
Remains
Portales' remains, missing since his assassination, were found on March 2005 in Santiago'sSantiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
Metropolitan Cathedral during renovation projects, where build a cript.
Primary sources
- Crow, John A. The Epic of Latin America. By John A. Crow. 4th ed. New York: University of California P, 1992.
- "Portales, Diego: A Chilean Biography." Charlene Richardson. http://historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?action=read&artid=425
- "Diego Portales." Encyclopædia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/471043/Diego-Portales