Manuel Gómez Pedraza

Who was Manuel Gómez Pedraza?

Manuel Gómez Pedraza was a Mexican general and president of his country from 1832 to 1833.

Born into the upper middle class, Gómez Pedraza was a student at the time of the Grito de Dolores from Spain in 1810. He enlisted in the royalist army under General Félix María Calleja del Rey and became a lieutenant. He fought the Mexican insurgents during the War of Independence and contributed to the capture of José María Morelos. He was a deputy from New Spain to the Spanish Parliament in 1820. In 1821, after the fall of the viceregal government, he joined with Agustín de Iturbide, who became a personal friend. Iturbide made him commander of the Mexico City garrison. During the period of the First Mexican Empire under Iturbide, Gómez was an anti-federalist, but after the fall of Iturbide he converted to federalism.

In 1824, he was governor and military commander of Puebla. In 1825 President Guadalupe Victoria made him minister of war and the navy. He was later minister of internal and external affairs in Victoria's cabinet. He formed a political party with a diverse membership. This became the Partido Moderador.