Mariano Moreno

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Dr. Mariano Moreno, by sculptor Erminio Blotta

Mariano Moreno (23 September 1778, Buenos Aires–4 March 1811) was an Argentine lawyer, journalist and politician. He played a decisive role in the May Revolution, which led to the declaration of independence of Argentina from Spain.

Moreno's father was Manuel Moreno y Argumosa, born in Santander, Spain, who had arrived in Argentina in 1776 and married María del Valle. They had fourteen children, Mariano being the firstborn. In his youth he studied Latin, logic and philosophy at San Carlos Royal College. He then studied law at the University of Chuquisaca (now Sucre, Bolivia). He got married in 1801, and he had his first son, also named Mariano, in 1805.

Moreno actively supported the assembly (Cabildo Abierto) of 22 May 1810 that debated the convenience of self-rule of the Spanish colonies of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, faced with the imprisonment of King Ferdinand VII. Moreno was a secretary in the First Junta that replaced the viceroy. He suffocated the uprising of Santiago de Liniers in Córdoba (whom he had executed later), and organized the liberating expedition to Alto Perú. He was then removed from office by Cornelio Saavedra.

As a journalist, Moreno created the first Argentine newspaper, La Gazeta de Buenos Aires. As a writer, he summarized his thoughts on economics in the 1809 book Representación de los hacendados y labradores, which, following the physiocratic doctrine, proposed the stimulation of agriculture as a means of developing an economy that was very dependent on international trade (imports and exports) and its undesirable consequence, contraband.

He died on high seas during a journey to Great Britain, on a diplomatic mission to gain British support for Argentine independence. His early death (at 32 years of age) and its obscure circumstances soon raised (and continue to raise) the suspicion that he was the victim of political assassination.