Manuel Francisco Pavón Aycinena

Manuel Francisco Pavón Aycinena
Government Advisor Guatemala
In office 1844–1848
President	Rafael Carrera
Secretary of State[Note 1] Guatemala
In office November 6, 1852 (1852-11-06) – April 19, 1855 (1855-04-19)
President	Rafael Carrera
Personal details
Born	1798 Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción
Died	April 19, 1855(1855-04-19)
Political party	Conservative
Occupation	politician

Manuel Francisco Pavón Aycinena (1798 - 19 April 1855) was an influential conservative Guatemalan politician during the regime of General Rafael Carrera. Leader of the Aycinena family, was in charge of setting up the government executive branch during this period, holding practilly all of the Cabinet offices over the years.^[1] The liberal historians portray him as a villain in a despotic and tyrannical government headed by illiterate Raca Carraca - Rafael Carrera; ^{[2] [3][4]} However, research conducted between 1980 and 2010 has shown a more objective biography of both Pavón and Rafael Carrera and show that it was in fact Carrera who had the reins of the Conservative government.^{[5] [6] [7]}

Biography

Captain General Rafael Carrera, president for life of Guatemala.

Pavón Aycinena attended the Pontifical University of San Carlos Borromeo and participated in the war against Francisco Morazán and his liberal forces under the command of the Governor of Guatemala, Mariano de Aycinena y Piñol as Lieutenant Colonel in the army. After Aycinena's defeat, he was banished by Morazan with another one hundred families belonging to the Aycinena clan, going into exile to Panama and then to the United States. He returned to Guatemala in 1837 when rebel general Rafael Carrera had asserted his authority in the state and managed to become one of his top aides and government ministers ^[8]

Role in Rafael Carrera's government

Executive branch

Pavón Aycinena held all the executive branch offices during Carrera's term as President; it is considered that Pavón Aycinena is responsible for the current setup of those branches.^[9]

Carrera Theater

Carrera Theater.

Coat of Arms of the Republic of Guatemala between 1858 and 1871. A replica was carved on the front side of the theater before it was remodeled in 1892.

In 1852, Juan Matheu and Pavón Aycinena presented Rafael Carrera with a plan to build a majestic National Theater, that would be called Carrera Theater in his honor.. Once approved, Carrera commissioned Matheu himself and Miguel Ruiz de Santisteban to build the theater. Initially it was in charge of engineer Miguel Rivera Maestre, but he quit after a few months and was replaced by German expert José Beckers, who built the Greek façades and added a lobby. This was the first monumental building ever built in the Republican era of Guatemala,^[10] given that in the 1850s the country finally was enjoying some peace and prosperity.^[11]

Appleton's Guide to México and Guatemala of 1884 describes the theater as follows: «In the middle of the square is the Theater, similar in size and elegance to any of the rest of Spanish America. Lines of orange trees and other nice trees of brilliant flowers and delicious fragances surround the bilduing while the statues and fountains placed at certain intervals enhance even more the beauty of the place.^[12]

President for life

Copy of the decree by which Rafael Carrera was appointed President for Life of Guatemala in 1854 by iniative of Pavón Aycinena

In 1854, by initiative Pavón Aycinena, Carrera was declared "supreme and perpetual leader of the nation" for life, with the power to choose his successor. Although Pavón died in 1855, Carrera served as President of Guatemala until he died on April 14, 1865. While he pursued some measures to set up a foundation for economic prosperity to please the conservative landowners, military challenges at home and a three-year war with Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua dominated his presidency. His rivalry with Gerardo Barrios, President of El Salvador, resulted in open war in 1863. At Coatepeque the Guatemalans suffered a severe defeat, which was followed by a truce. Honduras joined with El Salvador, and Nicaragua and Costa Rica with Guatemala. The contest was finally settled in favor of Carrera, who besieged and occupied San Salvador, and dominated Honduras and Nicaragua. He continued to act in concert with the Clerical Party, and tried to maintain friendly relations with the European governments. Before his death, Carrera nominated his friend and loyal soldier, Army Marshall Vicente Cerna y Cerna, as his successor.

Death

Pavón Aycinena died on 19 April 1855, and the government gave his widow the largest compensation Guatemala had ever seen in recognition to his multiple contributions to the State.

References

Bibliography

Notes