Pedro Santana | |
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![]() Colour portrait of Pedro Santana | |
President of the Dominican Republic | |
In office 14 November 1844 – 4 August 1848 | |
Vice President | None |
Preceded by | Francisco del Rosario Sánchez |
Succeeded by | Council of Secretaries of State |
In office 30 May 1849 – 23 September 1849 | |
Preceded by | Manuel Jimenes |
Succeeded by | Buenaventura Báez |
In office 15 February 1853 – 26 May 1856 | |
Vice President | Felipe Benicio Alfau Bustamante (1853) Manuel de Regla Mota (1853–1856) |
Preceded by | Buenaventura Báez |
Succeeded by | Manuel de Regla Mota |
In office 31 August 1858 – 18 March 1861 | |
Vice President | Benigno Filomeno de Rojas (1858–1861) |
Preceded by | José Desiderio Valverde |
Succeeded by | Annexation to Spain |
Governor-General of Santo Domingo | |
In office 18 March 1861 – 20 July 1862 | |
Preceded by | Himself as President |
Succeeded by | Felipe Ribero |
Personal details | |
Born | Hincha, Santo Domingo (now Hinche, Haiti) | June 29, 1801
Died | June 14, 1864 Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo | (aged 62)
Nationality | Dominican, Spanish |
Spouse(s) |
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Relations | Octavio Antonio Beras Rojas (great-great-grandnephew) |
Residence(s) | Hato de El Prado, El Seibo Province |
Signature | ![]() |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Years of service | 1843–1864 |
Rank | General |
Battles/wars | Dominican War of Independence Cibaeño Revolution Dominican Restoration War |
Pedro Santana y Familias, 1st Marquess of Las Carreras (29 June 1801 – 14 June 1864) was a military commander and royalist politician who served as the president of the junta that had established the First Dominican Republic, a precursor to the position of the President of the Dominican Republic, and as the first President of the republic in the modern line of succession. A traditional royalist who was fond of the Monarchy of Spain and the Spanish Empire, he ruled as a governor-general, but effectively as an authoritarian dictator.[1][2] During his life he enjoyed the title of "Libertador de la Patria." Aside from Juan Sánchez Ramírez, he was the only other Dominican head of state to serve as a governor to Santo Domingo.
Santana was a lifelong supporter of the Dominican revolt against the Haitian occupation and a noted general during the Dominican War of Independence (1844–1856). Unlike many of his political opponents who wanted to ultimately establish an independent Dominican state, Santana sought to reintegrate Hispaniola into the Spanish Empire. He oversaw the reestablishment of the Captaincy General of Santo Domingo as well as exile and imprisonment of a number of noted separatist and nationalist dissidents who had previously been his comrades during the war of independence. Under mounting pressure from the opposition which had been organizing a coup d'etat, he was forced to resign from his position. He died during the Dominican Restoration War, after which the country regained its independence.