Julián Álvarez

Who was Julián Álvarez?

Julián Baltasar Mariano José Luis de la Santísima Trinidad Álvarez was an Argentine and Uruguayan lawyer and politician.

His father Saturnino José Álvarez, was a successful merchant, and also Treasurer of Commerce of the city of Buenos Aires. Julián Álvarez studied at the Real Colegio de San Carlos later attending the University of Charcas where he obtained a Law degree.

He took part in the May Revolution and was one of the signatories of the populous petition to the Viceroy of May 25, 1810.

After the defeat, exile and death of Mariano Moreno, he headed the "Sociedad Patriótica", the most liberal political group in Buenos Aires. He was arrested during the revolution of April 1811, but soon regained his freedom. Álvarez supported the creation of the First Triumvirate and worked in its secretariat under Bernardino Rivadavia.

As a ranking member of the Masonic Lodge Independencia de Buenos Aires in 1812, he received General José de San Martín at his arrival from Europe with the members of the Lautaro Lodge, which he joined. He was a representative to the short-lived Assembly of 1812.