José Manuel Emiliano Balmaceda Fernández (; July 19, 1840 – September 19, 1891) was a Chilean politician who served as the 11th President of Chile from 18 September 1886 to 29 August 1891. A controversial figure, Balmaceda's political disagreements with the Chilean congress led to the 1891 Chilean Civil War.

Early life and education

Balmaceda was born on 19 July 1840 at the ' in Santo Domingo to , a landowner and parliamentarian, and Encarnación Fernández Salas. Through his father Balmaceda was a member of the aristocratic Balmaceda family. The eldest of twelve children, Balmaceda was the older brother of , José Rafael Balmaceda, and .

In 1849, Balmaceda enrolled at the as a boarder. Balmaceda was also elected a Senator for Coquimbo (1882–1888). He was proclaimed a candidate to the presidency on the Odeon Theater of Valparaíso on January 17, 1886, with the support of the Nacional, Liberal and part of the Radical Parties. On June 25 he was elected president as sole candidate.

Presidency

thumb|Meeting of notables in the Theater of Santiago with President José Manuel Balmaceda<br/> by [[Nicolás Guzmán Bustamante]]

Balmaceda became President of Chile on September 18, 1886, following the 1886 election, with 98 percent of the vote. His election was bitterly opposed by the Conservatives and dissident Liberals, but was finally achieved by the official influence of President Domingo Santa María. The election was not free and fair. Opposition candidate José Francisco Vergara withdrew his candidacy before the final votes were counted. On 7 January Waldo Silva, Barros Luco, and a number of senators and deputies embarked on the Chilean warship "" accompanied by the "Esmeralda" and "O'Higgins" and other vessels, and sailed out of Valparaiso harbor and proceeded northwards to Tarapacá to organize armed resistance against the president, launching the civil war.

Balmaceda had the loyalty of the Army in the Civil War, but the Navy supported Congress against Balmaceda. Balmaceda married Emilia de Toro, granddaughter of Mateo de Toro Zambrano, 1st Count of La Conquista.

Balmaceda and Toro had eight children including Pedro Balmaceda, a poet and writer, and Enrique Balmaceda, a diplomat and politician. Through his daughter María Elisa, Balmaceda was the father-in-law of Emilio Bello Codesido.

References

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Attribution