Feliciano Chiclana

Feliciano Antonio Chiclana (Buenos Aires, June 9, 1761 – Buenos Aires, September 17, 1826) was an Argentine lawyer, soldier, and judge.

He studied at the Colegio de San Carlos. In 1783 he attained a law degree from the Universidad de Chile.

After returning to Buenos Aires in 1791 he became secretary to the mayor of the Buenos Aires Cabildo. During the British invasions of the Río de la Plata in 1806 he fought as captain of the 1st Patricians' Infantry Regiment.

In 1810, he helped on the planning for the May Revolution as legal counsel to the Cabildo. He was part of the group of moderates which wanted the Cabildo to assume command of the government during the Napoleonic invasion of Spain to later return it to the Spanish Crown. He therefore voted on May 22, 1810 to depose the viceroy.

The Primera Junta named him comptroller of the Auxiliary Army of Upper Peru with the rank of colonel. In August 1810 he was named governor of Salta Province, which at the time also encompassed present-day Jujuy Province. In November 1810 he received orders from Buenos Aires to leave that post and occupy the new post of governor of Potosí.

Returning later to Buenos Aires, he was part of the First Triumvirate, along with Juan José Paso and Manuel de Sarratea in 1811. He was a triumvir until October 8, 1812, when he was deposed.

In November 1812 he was again named governor of Salta, where he worked closely with Manuel Belgrano. He stayed on the post until October 26, 1813, when he was succeeded by Francisco Fernández de la Cruz.

Between 1814 and 1816 he was in charge of provisioning for the Auxiliary Army of Upper Peru; returning afterwards to Buenos Aires.

In 1817 he was opposed politically to the Supreme director Juan Martín de Pueyrredón, which made him eave to exile in Baltimore, United States of America.

Having been able to return to Argentina in 1818, he was then exiled again, this time to Mendoza, but due to illness he did not make the trip. In 1819, replaced in his rank of colonel, he accomplished what was to be his last mission: to negotiate peace with the Ranquel native tribe, which whom he signed a treaty. He retired from the army in 1822 and died in Buenos Aires in September 1826. He was interred in the La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires.