Vicente Guerrero

Vicente Guerrero
A half-length, posthumous portrait by Anacleto Escutia (1850)
2nd President of Mexico
In office April 1, 1829 – December 17, 1829
Vice President	Anastasio Bustamante
Preceded by	Guadalupe Victoria
Succeeded by	José María Bocanegra
Member of the Supreme Executive Power
In office April 1, 1823 – October 10, 1824
Preceded by	Constitutional Monarchy Agustín I
Succeeded by	Federal Republic Guadalupe Victoria
Personal details
Born	Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña August 10, 1782 Tixtla, Guerrero, New Spain
Died	February 14, 1831(1831-02-14) (aged 48) Cuilapan, Oaxaca, Mexico
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	María de Guadalupe Hernández
Children	María de los Dolores Guerrero Hernández
Profession	Military Officer Politician
Religion	Roman Catholic
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Army of the Three Guarantees Mexico
Service/branch	Mexican Army
Years of service	1810–1821
Rank	General Lieutenant colonel Captain
Commands	Mexican War of Independence
Battles/wars	Battle of El Veladero Siege of Cuautla Battle of Izúcar Siege of Huajuapan de León Battle of Zitlala Capture of Oaxaca Siege of Acapulco

Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña (Spanish: [biˈsente raˈmoŋ ɡeˈreɾo salˈdaɲa]; August 10, 1782 – February 14, 1831) was one of the leading revolutionary generals of the Mexican War of Independence. He fought against Spain for independence in the early 19th century, and later served as President of Mexico, coming to power in a coup. He was of Afro-Mestizo and Filipino decent, championed the cause of Mexico's common people, and abolished slavery during his brief term as president. His execution in 1831 by the conservative government that ousted him in 1829 was a shock to the nation.

Guerrero was born in Tixtla, a town 100 kilometers inland from the port of Acapulco, in the Sierra Madre del Sur; his parents were María de Guadalupe Saldaña, of African and Filipino descent and Pedro Guerrero, a Mestizo. Guerrero was tall and robust, and dark complected, and he was at times called El Negro. The region where he grew up had a large concentration of indigenous groups, and as a young man he was more conversant in the local language than Spanish. His father's family included landlords, rich farmers and traders with broad business connections in the south, members of the Spanish militia and gun and cannon makers. In his youth, he worked for his father's freight business that used mules for transport. His travels took him to different parts of Mexico where he heard of the ideas of independence.

Vicente's father, Pedro, supported Spanish rule, whereas his uncle, Diego Guerrero, had an important position in the Spanish militia. As an adult, Vicente was opposed to the Spanish colonial government. When his father asked him for his sword in order to present it to the viceroy of New Spain as a sign of goodwill, Vicente refused, saying, "The will of my father is for me sacred, but my Fatherland is first.""Mi patria es primero" is now the motto of the southern Mexican state of Guerrero, named in honor of the revolutionary. Guerrero enlisted in José María Morelos's insurgent army of the south in December 1810.

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