Mariano Ignacio Prado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mariano Ignacio Prado
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| 17th and 21st President of Peru | |
| In office 28 November 1865 – 7 January 1868 |
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| Preceded by | Pedro Diez Canseco |
| Succeeded by | Pedro Diez Canseco |
| In office 2 August 1876 – 23 December 1879 |
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| Vice President | Luis La Puerta |
| Preceded by | Manuel Pardo y Lavalle |
| Succeeded by | Luis La Puerta |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Huánuco, Peru 18 December 1825 |
| Died | Paris, France 5 May 1901 (aged 75) |
| Profession | Army General |
Mariano Ignacio Prado Ochoa (born December 18, 1825 – died May 5, 1901) was an important Peruvian army general. He served two times as the President of Peru. His first term was from 1865 to 1868, and his second was from 1876 to 1879.
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Who Was Mariano Prado?
Mariano Prado was born in Huánuco, Peru, on December 18, 1825. He studied in his hometown and later in Lima. He joined the army when he was young. He served in the southern parts of Peru.
Becoming President
In 1865, Prado led a movement to remove President Juan Antonio Pezet. The president had given up control of the Chincha Islands to Spain. He also agreed to pay a lot of money to Spain. This made many Peruvians angry.
Vice President Pedro Diez Canseco became the temporary president. Later that year, new elections were held. Mariano Prado won these elections and became president.
Fighting Spain
In 1866, a Spanish fleet attacked Peru. General Prado led the Peruvian forces. They defeated the Spanish at the Battle of Dos de Mayo in Callao. Prado's 12-year-old son, Leoncio Prado, also took part in this battle. Leoncio later became a hero.
Prado formed an alliance with Chile, Bolivia, and Ecuador. These countries sent troops to help defeat Spain. Peru had a few naval ships that had already pushed back the Spanish fleet. This happened at the Battle of Abtao, Chile, in 1866. Chile honored Prado by making him an honorary General of the Army of Chile.
From 1874 to 1875, Prado also served as the President of the Chamber of Deputies. This is like being the leader of one part of the government.
Second Term and the War of the Pacific
After Manuel Pardo finished his term, Prado was elected president again. This was on August 2, 1876. His second term was a difficult time for Peru. It was marked by the War of the Pacific (1879–1884) against Chile.
Prado took direct command of the defenses in Tacna and Tarapacá. He met with Bolivian president Hilarión Daza there. He wanted to lead the armies gathering in those areas. Before the war, the army had been made smaller to only 2,000 soldiers. It also had not been updated with new weapons. President Prado returned to Lima to organize the country's defense.
Seeking Help Abroad
In 1879, the Peruvian Congress allowed President Prado to leave the country. His mission was to find weapons in New York and naval ships in France. On December 18, he left for New York. He planned to meet with William R. Grace, who was a friend and businessman.
While in New York, Prado learned that Nicolas de Pierola had taken control of Lima. This happened on December 23. Pierola had been planning to take over for many years. He had returned to Lima just before the war with Chile began. Pierola used Prado's trip to claim that Prado had run away. These claims were later proven false.
Pierola did not manage the war effort well. He left the capital when Chilean troops landed near Lima. Even with Lima occupied, the war continued. General Cáceres led the fight. During this part of the war, General Prado's son, Leoncio, was captured and executed by Chile. General Prado lost three sons in the war with Chile.
A ceasefire was signed on October 20, 1883. A final peace treaty was signed in 1929. This treaty returned Tacna to Peru. General Cáceres later cleared Prado's name. Prado then returned to Peru.
Later Life
General Prado was also a very successful businessman. He made his money before he became involved in politics. His wife, Magdalena Ugarteche, came from a rich business family. He owned parts of different businesses, including mines in Peru and Chile.
In 1901, he went to Paris for health reasons. He died there on May 5, 1901. His son, Manuel Ignacio Prado Ugarteche, also became President of Peru two times.
See also
In Spanish: Mariano Ignacio Prado para niños
- List of presidents of Peru
- Peruvian civil war of 1867
- Politics of Peru
- War of the Pacific
