José Rufino Echenique

José Rufino Pompeyo Echenique Benavente (November 16, 1808 – June 16, 1887) was a Peruvian politician who served as the President of Peru from April 1851 to January 1855.

Biography He participated in the Peruvian War of Independence and the Peruvian Civil Wars of 1834 and 1843–44. Echenique won the 1851 Peruvian presidential election to succeed Ramón Castilla. Under his government, the first civil laws of Peru were promulgated. The finalizing phase of the construction of the Tacna-Arica railroad was also completed.

Echenique was overthrown by the Liberal Revolution of 1854 led by Ramón Castilla in 1855 after a ball hosted by his wife, Victoria Tristán. He served as the President of the Chamber of Deputies in 1864, and President of the Senate from 1868 to 1871.

His son, Juan Martín Echenique, was also active in Peruvian politics.

Echenique hosted the Post-Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin and Gauguin's mother in his presidential home in central Lima from 1849 to 1854, during Gauguin's childhood.

Echenique is credited with stating that the country ought to change its racial demographics to "improve the race", which was reflected in the immigration efforts promoted under his government that brought a number of Germans and Austrians, Irish, Spaniards and other Europeans to Peru.