Diego Vigil

Diego Vigil Cocaña (1799, Tegucigalpa, Honduras – 10 January 1845, Granada, Nicaragua) was a Central American politician. He was the last president of the Federal Republic of Central America (1839–40), during its disintegration. He was also chief of state of the federal states of Honduras (1829) and El Salvador (1836–37 and 1837–38).

Diego Vigil was the son of José Vigil Fernández and Josefa Cocaña Fábrega. He was related to the Central American Liberal leader, general and president, Francisco Morazán, and was among his closest fellow combatants. Vigil studied law at the University of León in León, Nicaragua, and was afterwards temporarily active as a lawyer and notary in Tegucigalpa.

In 1824 he was a member of the federal parliament. In 1826-27 he was governor of the province of Tegucigalpa, but after the occupation of that city by the troops of federal President Manuel José Arce, he was arrested. When Morazán reconquered Honduras, Vigil was freed.

After Morazán's victory in the Battle of Trinidad (10 November 1827), the Legislative Assembly of Honduras named Vigil vice-chief of state on 27 November 1827. Morazán later made him chief of state of Honduras (7 March 1829 to 2 December 1829).

During his term of office, the Legislative Assembly dissolved the religious communities in Honduras. Their goods passed to the state, and several monasteries and other buildings were occupied as public buildings.

General Morazán made him chief of state of the state of El Salvador, effective 1 February 1836. He served until 23 May 1837, and then again from 7 July 1837 to 6 January 1838.

During his administration a cholera epidemic broke out in El Salvador, spread by pilgrims returning from the shrine of Esquipulas. Because of the cholera, the government stopped all payments except for public employees, in order to devote the resources to fighting the epidemic. By January 1837, the cholera had spread to all the populations of the state. The state government established sanitary committees to meet in the capitals of the departments.

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