José María Viesca

José María Viesca y Montes (1787 - 1856) was a lawyer and Mexican politician aligned with federalist ideology, who served as Governor of Coahuila and Texas (1827 – 30). His brother, Agustín Viesca, took over the role of governor in 1835.

Biography

Viesca y Montes was born in Villa de Santa María de las Parras, Coahuila. He had at least one brother, Agustín Viesca. He was the uncle of former governor of Coahuila Andrés S. Viesca Bagües. Viesca y Montes was Regidor of the City of Parras. Like his brother, Agustín, he joined Plan of Iguala in July 5, 1821, although his signature was not recorded in the minutes due to absence.^[1]

He was a member of the delegation of the Internal State East during the Constitutional Convention from 1823 to 1824 and member of the legislature of Coahuila and Texas in 1824. Later, he was elected governor of Coahuila and Texas, a post he held between June 4, 1827 and April 4, 1831.^[2] In 1833 he was senator in the same state.

In 1835 he opposed the centralist regime of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and the Texas Independence, though he found little support for his federalist ideology. He was elected deputy for the state of Coahuila through the Constituent Congress of 1856. However, due to sickness, he was never submitted to the conference sessions. He died that same year.^[3]

Legacy

To commemorate both Viesca and the president of Mexico, Anastasio Bustamante, the town of Alamo de Parras, in Coahuila, was named San José de Viesca and Bustamante. The town is now known as Viesca.^[4]

References