Agustín Morales

Pedro Agustín Morales Hernández (11 March 1808 – 27 November 1872) was a Bolivian military officer who served as the 16th president of Bolivia from 1871 to 1872.

Early years Morales was born in La Paz. Originally a supporter of President José Ballivián (1841–1847), Morales became a sworn enemy of General Manuel Isidoro Belzu, who had overthrown Ballivián in 1847. A Colonel in 1850, Morales orchestrated an assassination attempt on the life of President Belzu. The assassination attempt failed and Morales was forced to flee the country, heading to Peru and remaining there until the overthrow of Jorge Córdova.

Career Following many years combatting Belzu, Morales came to power with President José Maria Linares (1857–1861). Opposed to the government of General José Maria de Achá, who had overthrown Linares, Morales supported the 1864 coup that brought to power the notorious General Mariano Melgarejo, who rewarded him with the generalship and (importantly) command of the Bolivian Army. Author Moisés Alcázar describes the jubilant sentiment of the Bolivian people after Melgarejo's overthrow:Melgarejo's star had definitively died out. Bolivia jubilantly celebrated its liberation, taking in happily the awakening from a terrible nightmare, determined to return to normality, and to reverse the values invested in the dark and mournful times [of Melgarejo's regime] because the world has to regain its balance. In the history of humanity, power is nothing more than frequent alternative. Life is stronger than despotism and errors, and sometimes, gently or painfully, order and progress are restored, without which the existence of peoples would be impossible. Because good is imperative for superior souls, dignifying the human species. The malignant ends by being irretrievably defeated and devastated, although the brutality is supported by force, which is also transitory and variable. And there will be jubilant mornings like that of January 15, 1871, as there will be Melgarejos and crime and barbarism blocks, although only for a short time, the sun of Liberty.

In terms of economics, Morales advocated for the free export of silver. Also he wanted to boost the industry and trade by attracting foreign investment, which the promoting of foreign investment. The promoting was mostly promoted for the mining sector. Favorable policies for the influx of capital were established, and concessions were granted to foreign companies for the exploitation of mineral resources in the country.

Controversy and death Morales’ presidency would have a turbulent start, like most Bolivian presidents of that time, facing a naval invasion launched from Valparaíso by melgarejista General Quintín Quevedo. Ruperto Fernández, the Prefect of Cobija, successfully crushed the expedition and Quevedo was forced to flee to Peru.

Of legendarily volcanic temperament, Morales endeavored to rule as a dictator, but was exposed as semi-literate when, in 1872, one of his letters was published in the newspapers by a famous Bolivian writer.