Rafael Peña

Rafael Peña de Flores was born on 23 October 1822 in Santa Cruz. He was the son of Mariano Peña and Petrona Flores. Around 1850, he studied law at the University of Saint Francis Xavier before becoming a professor of mathematics and natural history at the College of Arts and Sciences, now known as the Florida National College, in Santa Cruz.

He served twice as prefect of Santa Cruz. Later, he was elected Senator for the department of Santa Cruz and frequently performed municipal functions, exercising the presidency of the Santa Cruz Municipal Council on more than one occasion. Sympathetic to the revolutionary ideas of José María Linares, he suffered persecution following Linares' overthrow in 1861.[1] In late 1865, he led a popular revolt against the military government of Mariano Melgarejo which ended in virtual disaster and his exile and asylum in Paraguay, a country at war with neighboring powers at the time.

In the general election of 1896, he was nominated for the office of first vice president by Severo Fernández. Both, along with second vice presidential candidate Jenaro Sanjinés, won the election taking office on 19 August 1896.[2] Upon the outbreak of the Federal War, which saw the end of almost two decades of Conservative rule, Peña exercised the acting presidency while Fernández commanded the army.

Ultimately, the Conservatives were ousted from government by the Liberal forces of José Manuel Pando on 12 April 1889.