Fermín Toro

Fermín del Toro y Blanco
Portrait by Antonio Herrera Toro
45th Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela
In office
14 April 1858 – 17 June 1859
President Julián Castro
Preceded by Wenceslao Urrutia
Succeeded by Miguel Herrera
Personal details
Born 14 July 1806
Caracas, Venezuela
Died 23 December 1865 (aged 59)
Caracas, Venezuela
Spouse(s) María de las Mercedes de Tovar y Rodríguez del Toro
Profession writer, novelist, politician, diplomat
Religion Roman Catholic
Signature

Fermín Toro y Blanco (Caracas- El Valle, 14 July 1806 - Caracas, 23 December 1865) was a Venezuelan humanist, politician, diplomat and author. Among his many public positions he was Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Finance, President of the National Convention of 1858, President of the Chamber of Deputies and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Colombia. Together with the Spanish queen Isabel II he signed in 1846 the Ratification of the Treaty of Recognition of Venezuela's Independence by Spain, the former colonial metropolis. He also negotiated border delimitations with Colombia and relevant political issues with European capitals. He is remember for his writings, oratorical skills and moral streght against dictatorship. Even though he was the author of the first Venezuelan novel he is better known for his economic and political essays. He is considered by many as the best orator in Venezuela's parliamentary history. His remains were located at the Panteón Nacional on 23 April 1876. He was related to Francisco Rodríguez del Toro and Fernando Rodríguez del Toro, important figures of the Venezuelan Independence process and to María Teresa Rodríguez del Toro, the wife of Simón Bolívar. Several universities and schools have been named in his honour, including the Liceo Fermin Toro, Venezuela's largest and more prestigious public school. He has been the object of several biographies.

Works

Institutions named after Fermín Toro

External links