Nicolás de Piérola Villena (1839 – 1913), was President of the Republic between 1879-1881 and 1895-1899 . The son of Nicolás Fernández de Piérola and Teresa Villena y Pérez, José Nicolás Baltasar de Piérola Villena was born on January 5, 1839. He studied at the conciliar seminary of Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo in Lima to pursue an ecclesiastical career (1853-1860 ), coming to dictate the Philosophy course when he had not yet finished his studies. Abandoning the priestly vocation, he dedicated himself to commercial activities and journalism; in this last field he assumed the direction of El Progreso Católico (1860-1861) and edited El Tiempo (1864-1865). In 1861 he had married his first cousin Jesús de Itúbide y Villena, and they were his children Pedro José Nicolás, Eva María, Raquel, Isaías, Luis Benjamín, Amadeo and Victoria.
The beginnings of Nicolás de Piérola's politics
His political career began at age 30 during the regime of Colonel José Balta, called by him, thanks to the recommendation of former President José Rufino Echenique, to serve as the Ministry of Finance. In such position (1859-1871) he had to face the economic crisis generated by the decrease in the sale of guano in Europe, with the consequent deficit in the budget. It was then decided to hand over the monopoly on the sale of guano to Casa Dreyfus in Paris against the interests of the national consignees. The Dreyfus contract (July 5, 1869) meant the sale of 2 million tons of guano worth 73 million soles . This large sum of money allowed the Balta government to undertake a millionaire public works policy, especially the construction of railways. At the end of the regime, Congress debated an accusation of his management responsibilities as minister, of which he was acquitted (November 21, 1872), although he had to continue defending him in publications such as The Homeland .
Coups d'état by Nicolás de Piérola
He traveled to France and, on his return, began in October 1874, from the Chilean port of Quinteros aboard the "Talisman", a revolution against the government of Manuel Pardo. Appointed provisional supreme chief, he landed first in Pacasmayo and then in Ilo to make his entrance through Moquegua but, nevertheless, he was definitively defeated in Arequipa. He sought refuge in Bolivia to later move to Chile and launch another insurrection. His supporters captured the "Huáscar" and boarded Piérda in Cobija; they defied the injunction of the English admiral A.M. Horsey and Pacocha defeated the frigates "Shah" and "Amethyst". Piérola did not stop expressing his protest against the English interference in the affairs of Peru and agreed to an honorable capitulation in Iquique (May 31, 1877).
Overthrow of Manuel Prado
Driven to Callao, he undertook a trip to Europe, previously passing through Valparaíso. He returned to Chile in March 1879 when the problem with Bolivia was reaching its peak and, with the failure of Peruvian mediation, he returned to the country with the diplomat José Antonio de Lavalle. Far from collaborating with the government of that time, he opposed Mariano I. Prado and when he traveled to Europe to get weapons for the war, after the maritime campaign and the defeat in Tarapacá, he started a revolution that overthrew Prado and Luis La Puerta (December 1879) .
Proclaimed supreme leader, he tried to get more credits with Dreyfus and focused his interest on the war. He sent plenipotentiaries to the failed negotiations in the "Lackawanna" and organized the defense of Lima. After the defeats in San Juan and Miraflores (January 1881) he moved to Ayacucho where an assembly invested him with the title of president. Various pronouncements in Arequipa, Cajamarca and Chosica forced him to resign.
civic-democratic revolution
he organized the bases of the Democratic Party in Lima (February 1882) and moved to Europe . Upon his return, after the Treaty of Ancón, he remained neutral against the government of General Miguel Iglesias (1883-1886). Put on trial for his actions during the war (June 1890), the process was abandoned, although he remained imprisoned due to his unruly career. He escaped and embarked for Panama to later appear in Valparaíso. President Remigio Morales Bermúdez died (April 1894) and, before the electoral victory of Andrés A. Cáceres (1895), he supported the civic-democratic revolution that overthrew him and assumed the presidency of a provisional government junta.
Works of Nicolás de Piérola as President of Peru
In November 1895 he was elected President of the Republic. Surrounded by a popularity never seen before, Piérola began an orderly and conciliatory administration. The main concern at that time was the national economy; consequently, the new government created the Tax Collector Association to improve tax collection; imposed the Peruvian gold pound and placed it on par with the English pound sterling; he moralized public administration, stimulated private enterprise and, in general, tried to raise the standard of living of Peruvians. Regarding the Amazon region, he began the construction of the road from Tarma to Chanchamayo, explored the Gran Pajonal, colonized the Pichis and San Luis de Shuaro and established, for the first time, commercial navigation along the Talambo, Ucayali and Urubamba rivers. In the international field, he undertook a cordial policy with various countries, however the problem with Chile worsened when the plebiscite of Tacna and Arica could not be carried out due to the policy of "Chileanization of those territories and captive populations; this despite the signing of the Billinghurst-La Torre protocol that attempted to lay the foundations for popular consultation in the provinces held by Chile. On the always sensitive issue of national defense, he created the Chorrillos Military School under the advice of a French military mission headed by Colonel Pablo Clement; In addition, the Compulsory Military Service Law was introduced. Other works and events that occurred during his government were:the repression of the Loreto separatist revolution led by Colonel Mariano Madueño; the creation of the banks of Peru and London, International of Peru and Popular of Peru; the foundation of the Rímac Insurance Company and the International Insurance Company; came the phonograph, the cinematograph, X-rays, the automobile, and photomechanical engraving; The Ministry of Public Works was created, Paseo Colón was inaugurated and La Colmena avenue, today called Nicolás de Piérola, was widened. When his government expired, Piérola continued to direct the Democratic party, he assumed the direction of a construction company, "La Colmena" (1899-1909) , and the figure of him attracted the admiration of many and the construction of a legend by some.
Death of Nicolas de Piérola
He lived his last years removed from all political activity, surrounded by family and friends in a peaceful home environment. Suffering from a serious illness, he received spiritual aid, and on the eve of his death he heard mass at his home on Calle del Milagro. He died at 9:26 p.m. on Monday, June 23, 1913. He declared national mourning and at his burial he was honored with the honors of President of the Republic, wrapping his coffin with the national flag. The last funeral ceremonies were held in the Sagrario chapel of the cathedral, and his remains were later transferred to the general cemetery.