Francisco Valdivieso y Prada

Francisco de Paula Valdivieso y Prada (10 January 1773, Lima – 9 June 1828 in Lima) was a Peruvian lawyer, magistrate and politician. He was Minister of Government and Foreign Relations from 1822 to 1824, president of the Supreme Court in 1825, and president of the General Constituent Congress in 1827.

Early life and career Valdivieso was born in Lima to Miguel de Valdivieso y Torrejón, a notable jurist and writer from Lima, and Isabel de Prada y Huidobro. He studied at the Real Convictorio de San Carlos. After opting for the degree of Doctor of Arts and Theology, he went on to practice as Professor of Arts at the University of San Marcos in 1791. He then graduated from San Carlos specializing in Canon law in 1796, where he served as vice-rector and regent for the studies of Philosophy and Theology in 1797. He was received as a lawyer before the Real Audiencia of Lima on October 3, 1797.

After the Peruvian victory in Junín and Ayacucho, Valdivieso was appointed a member of the Supreme Court of Justice whose presidency he came to exercise in 1825. He also integrated a commission to which the drafting of Civil Code and Penal Code projects was entrusted. He was awarded the civic medal with the bust of Bolívar on October 10, 1825. On April 11, 1826, he contributed to the approval of the death sentences handed down against Juan de Berindoaga and Pablo Terón for the alleged crime of treason after secretly negotiating with the royalists during the war against Spain.

In 1827 he was elected deputy for Lima and joined the General Constituent Congress, whose presidency he held from August 4 to October 4, 1827, replacing Francisco Xavier de Luna Pizarro.

He died in Lima on June 9, 1828.