José María Vargas
Jose María Vargas | |
|---|---|
| President of Venezuela | |
| In office 9 February 1835 – 9 July 1835 | |
| Preceded by | Andrés Narvarte |
| Succeeded by | José María Carreño |
| In office 20 August 1835 – 24 April 1836 | |
| Preceded by | José María Carreño |
| Succeeded by | Andrés Narvarte |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 March 1786 La Guaira, Venezuela |
| Died | 13 July 1854 (aged 68) New York City, United States |
| Spouse | Encarnación Maitín |
| Signature | |
José María Vargas Ponce (10 March 1786, in La Guaira – 13 April 1854, in New York City) was the president of Venezuela from 1835 to 1836. He was elected in the 1834 Venezuelan presidential election, the first free and fair elections in South America. He defeated the candidate supported by incumbent president. Vargas was Venezuela's first civilian president.
He was overthrown in 1835, returned to office, and resigned in 1836 amid pressure.
He graduated with a degree in philosophy from the Seminario Tridentino, and obtained in 1809 his medical degree from the Real y Pontificia Universidad de Caracas. Vargas was imprisoned in 1813 for revolutionary activities. Upon his release in 1813, he travelled to United Kingdom for medical training. Vargas performed cataract surgery. He was one of the earliest oculists (eye surgeons) in Puerto Rico after his arrival there in 1817. He returned to Venezuela to practice medicine and surgery in 1825.