Agustín Morales
Pedro Agustín Morales Hernández (11 March 1808 – 27 November 1872) was a Bolivian military officer who served as the 16th president of Bolivia from 1871 to 1872.
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Morales and the second or maternal family name is Hernández.
Agustín Morales
11 March 1808
La Paz, Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata (now Bolivia)
27 November 1872 (aged 64)
La Paz, Bolivia
Physical quarrel
Petrona López
Pedro Morales
Antonia Hernández
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Bolivia
Early years[edit]
Morales was born in La Paz. Originally a supporter of President José Ballivián (1841–1847), Morales became a sworn enemy of General Manuel Isidoro Belzu, who had overthrown Ballivián in 1847.[4] A Colonel in 1850, Morales orchestrated an assassination attempt on the life of President Belzu. The assassination attempt failed and Morales was forced to flee the country, heading to Peru and remaining there until the overthrow of Jorge Córdova.[5]
Controversy and death[edit]
Morales’ presidency would have a turbulent start, like most Bolivian presidents of that time, facing a naval invasion launched from Valparaíso by melgarejista General Quintín Quevedo. Ruperto Fernández, the Prefect of Cobija, successfully crushed the expedition and Quevedo was forced to flee to Peru.
Of legendarily volcanic temperament, Morales endeavored to rule as a dictator, but was exposed as semi-literate when, in 1872, one of his letters was published in the newspapers by a famous Bolivian writer.[4] Embarrassed, Morales called Congress for the first time since the early Achá administration and declared himself ready to leave office if considered unworthy.[5]
While Congress deliberated, Morales suffered from extremely violent tantrums and mood changes. This led him to physically assault one of his military aides, his nephew Federico Lafaye, in the Government Palace at La Paz on 27 November 1872.[4] The President's nephew, tried to stop him but was struck himself, whereupon Lafaye shot and killed the temperamental President.[5]
Following Morales' death, Congress proclaimed Tomás Frías as temporary President, charged with the task of calling elections in 1873.