MANUEL PARDO Y LAVALLE: BIOGRAPHY, GOVERNMENT AND WORKS - HISTORY - 2025

Manuel Pardo y Lavalle is one of the most influential politicians in Peru. He was the first civil president of Peru and founder of the Bank of Peru. The history of that American republic saw how that civilian created the first political party in Peruvian history: the Civil Party.

This party was born to counter the permanent power of the military strata. It also sought to end caudillismo, one of the evils that had left so many years of struggle for independence from the Spanish yoke. His proposals - some accepted, others rejected - demonstrated his nationalist desire for the transformation of Peru.

The country that Manuel Pardo y Lavalle wanted was one that found its development at the same pace as the international community marched.

Biography

Manuel Pardo y Lavalle was born in Lima, Peru, on August 9, 1834. His father was Felipe Pardo y Aliaga, a prominent writer and also a politician. His mother was Petronila de Lavalle y Cavero, born in the house located on the corner of San José and Santa Apolonia streets, in Lima.

He was the grandson through the paternal line of the former regent of the Cuzco Court, Manuel Pardo Ribadaneira, and of Mariana de Aliaga. This was a descendant of Jerónimo de Aliaga, one of the Spanish conquerors of yesteryear.

His maternal grandfather was the second count of Premio Real, Simón de Lavalle y Zugasti. His father was Colonel José Antonio de Lavalle y Cortés, who held the noble title of 1st Count of Royal Prize, Viscount of Lavalle, mayor of Piura and lawyer for the Royal Court of Lima.

He married María Ignacia Josefa de Barreda y Osma on July 17, 1859. She was the daughter of Felipe Barreda Aguilar, a prosperous aristocrat who did very lucrative businesses. Ten children were born from the marriage.

Government characteristics

Manuel Pardo y Lavalle was president of Peru between the years 1872 and 1876. He was the first president elected through a popular election. In addition, he was the first civilian elected as President of the Republic.

To underpin social and economic development, the Pardo government prioritized work and education, tools that at the same time used to minimize military power in the life of the republic, developing professionalization plans in the armed forces.

Something that characterized the Pardo government was its popular spirit. He did not inhabit the Government Palace but lived in his house, from where he attended to all who came to consult him.

The government of Pardo and Lavalle had great popular support, which was losing as the failures in the national economy increased, leading to growing unemployment.

Plays

Pardo y Lavalle proposed the collection of taxes in the departments in a decentralized way to achieve a more optimal fluidity.

In view of the fact that he did not succeed, he created the departmental councils. This was a measure to decentralize administrative work; that is, each department began to manage its income.

In commercial matters

It assessed the export of nitrate, an item that competed with the profitability of guano, through a sliding scale tax. In 1876 he reached a new contract to negotiate about two million tons of guano.

He revised the tariff system and modernized the customs structure. Then he also reorganized the flow of goods and border services.

It applied an efficient reduction in public spending to adapt national resources to the real needs of the country.

In military matters

Via supreme decree, he created the advisory commissions of war and navy. The navy commission was made up of senior commanders from the navy. He also created the School of Cabos and Sergeants, as well as the Special School of Artillery and General Staff.

All this, together with the reform of the Military School and the restructuring and putting into use of the Naval School, meant an important technification of the Peruvian army.

The National Guard, made up of townspeople, was reestablished to guarantee public order. Citizens between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-five who were not part of the army went to the National Guard.

In educational matters

Education and culture were of great importance in the Pardo government. On March 18, 1876, he promulgated the General Regulations for Public Instruction. With this, primary education at the first level was free and also compulsory.

While this education was in the hands of the municipality, secondary education was in charge of the departmental councils and was not compulsory.

The Pardo government created the contribution of one semiannual sol in the Sierra region and of two soles in the coastal region, for those between twenty-one and sixty years of age.

The university autonomy was established, and created the School of Civil Engineers and Mines; the Higher School of Agriculture; the Normal School of San Pedro and the School of Fine Arts.

Immigration from Europe and Asia was encouraged. One to colonize the Chanchamayo region and the other to promote agriculture on the coast.

For the first time, during the year 1876, the general census of the Republic was carried out in a technical way, and the Department of Statistics was created.

He managed to get municipalities to have Civil Registry offices to process birth certificates, death certificates and marriage certificates; With this novelty, it was no longer necessary to go to the parishes.

Regarding communications

He built the building for the postal service and reorganized the system with the creation of the General Post Regulations.

A transcendental work of the Pardo government was the installation of the submarine cable that connected Peru and Chile. This cable later extended to Panama, which inserted Peru into the global telecommunications network. In addition, progress was made with the inauguration of the railway sections that linked the country

Murder

On Saturday, November 16, 1878, around three in the afternoon, Manuel Pardo y Lavalle was at the entrance to the Congress of the Republic. There he was received by the guard of the Pichincha Battalion, who presented weapons.

When the presentation ceased, Sergeant Melchor Montoya - still with his gun raised - shot him shouting "Long live the people."

The bullet went through the president's left lung, exiting through the clavicle. He was treated by a dozen doctors, but death was imminent. Manuel Pardo y Lavalle died on the tiles of the Senate.

References

1. Chirinos Soto, E. (1985). History of the Republic (1821-1930). Volume I. Lima, AFA Editores Importadores SA,
2. Orrego, J. (2000). The Oligarchic Republic (1850-1950). Included in the History of Peru. Lima, Lexus Editores.
3. Vargas Ugarte, R. (1971). General History of Peru. Volume IX. First edition. Editor Carlos Milla Batres. Lima Peru.
4. Mc Evoy, C. (2011). Civilizing Warriors. Ed. Diego Portales University, Santiago. 431 pages
5. EcuRed Knowledge with everyone and for everyone. Manuel Pardo and Lavalle. Recovered in: ecured.cu