José María Vargas Ponce (10 March 1786, in La Guaira – 13 April 1854, in New York City) was the president of Venezuela from 1835 to 1836. He was elected in the 1834 Venezuelan presidential election, the first free and fair elections in South America. He defeated the candidate supported by incumbent president. Vargas performed cataract surgery. He was one of the earliest oculists (eye surgeons) in Puerto Rico after his arrival there in 1817. He returned to Venezuela to practice medicine and surgery in 1825.
Presidency
Personal life
José María Vargas was married to Encarnación Maitín, who served as First Lady of Venezuela from 1835 to 1836.
In 1877, his ashes were brought to Caracas and buried in the National Pantheon on 27 April of that same year.
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File:Encarnación Maitin.jpg|Encarnación Maitín in 1827
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Honors
The Venezuelan state of Vargas was named after him.
References
External links
- Doctor José María Vargas – Official biography.
- José María Vargas