Dionisio de Herrera

In thisSpanish name,the first or paternalsurnameisde Herreraand the second or maternal family name isDíaz del Valle.

Dionisio de Herrera
Head of State of Honduras
In office 1824–1827
Preceded by	office created
Succeeded by	José Justo Milla
Head of State of Nicaragua
In office 1830–1833
Preceded by	Juan Espinosa
Succeeded by	Benito Morales
Personal details
Born	9 October 1781 Choluteca,Honduras
Died	13 June 1850(1850-06-13)(aged 68) San Vicente, El Salvador
Political party	Liberal Party
Occupation	Lawyer, Statesman
Signature

José Dionisio de la Trinidad de Herrera y Díaz del Valle(9 October 1781 inCholuteca,Honduras– 13 June 1850 inSan Vicente, El Salvador) was a Liberal Honduran politician,head of state of Hondurasfrom 1824 to 1827 andhead of state of Nicaraguafrom 1830 to 1833. During his terms, Honduras and Nicaragua were states within theFederal Republic of Central America.Herrera was an uncle of the Liberal Central American generalFrancisco Morazán.

Education

From a land-owning family, Herrera studied at theUniversity of San CarlosofGuatemala,where he earned a law degreeand came in contact with the liberal ideas of theFrench Revolution.He was a tutor of his nephew, General Morazán.

Public office

In 1820 he occupied his first public office, as secretary of the town government ofTegucigalpa.On 16 September 1824 he became the first head of state of Honduras, after the independence of Central America from Spain and from Mexico. ColonelJosé Justo Millawas his vice-head of state. During his term he decreed the first territorial subdivisions of Honduras, creating the departments ofComayagua,Tegucigalpa,Santa Bárbara,Yoro,OlanchoandCholuteca (department).He also promulgated the first constitution of the country (state), on 11 December 1825.

The government of Herrera wasoverthrown on 10 May 1827 in a coup d'étatled by Colonel Milla and aided by Honduran Conservatives. Herrera was sent as a prisoner to Guatemala, where he remained until 1829.

Thereafter he was elected head of state of Nicaragua, taking office on 12 May 1830. He exercised this office until November 1833, relying on the support of General Morazán. He tried to implement various Liberal reforms, but unsuccessfully, due to the opposition of the clergy. In 1835 he was elected head of state ofEl Salvador,but he declined the office. In 1838 he retired from politics, working as a teacher in the city of San Vicente, El Salvador. He remained there until his death in 1850.