Tomás Frías

For other uses, see Tomás Frías (disambiguation).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Frías and the second or maternal family name is Ametller.

Tomás Frías Ametller (21 December 1804 – 10 May 1884) was a Bolivian lawyer and politician who served as the 17th president of Bolivia twice nonconsecutively from 1872 to 1873 and from 1874 to 1876.

Tomás Frías
17th President of Bolivia
In office 14 February 1874 – 4 May 1876 Acting: 31 January 1874 – 14 February 1874
Preceded by	Adolfo Ballivián
Succeeded by	Hilarión Daza (provisional)
In office 28 November 1872 – 9 May 1873
Preceded by	Agustín Morales
Succeeded by	Adolfo Ballivián
Other offices Minister of Finance In office 22 June 1871 – 12 September 1871 President Agustín Morales Preceded by Manuel de la Lastra Succeeded by Casimiro Corral (acting) In office 9 December 1857 – 10 November 1858 President José María Linares Preceded by Miguel María de Aguirre Succeeded by Himself In office 23 December 1847 – 2 January 1848 President Eusebio Guilarte Preceded by Miguel María de Aguirre Succeeded by Andrés María Torrico (acting) In office 19 March 1844 – 17 August 1844 President José Ballivián Preceded by Manuel Molina Succeeded by Miguel María de Aguirre In office 18 October 1841 – 27 December 1841 President José Ballivián Preceded by Miguel María de Aguirre Succeeded by Hilarión Fernandez Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs In office 10 November 1858 – 14 January 1861 President José María Linares Preceded by Himself Succeeded by Juan José Ibargüen Minister of the Interior Acting In office 25 November 1847 – 23 December 1847 President José Ballivián Preceded by Pedro José de Guerra Succeeded by Basilio Cuéllar Minister of Public Instruction and Foreign Affairs In office 28 November 1844 – 23 December 1847 President José Ballivián Preceded by Manuel de la Cruz Méndez Succeeded by Domingo Delgadillo Minister of Public Instruction In office 16 November 1839 – 16 November 1840 President José Miguel de Velasco Preceded by Office established Succeeded by Manuel Sánchez de Velasco
Personal details
Born	Tomás Frías Ametller (1804-12-21)21 December 1804 Potosí, Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata (now Bolivia)
Died	10 May 1884(1884-05-10) (aged 79) Florence, Kingdom of Italy
Spouse(s)	Raimunda Ballivián Guerra
Parent(s)	José María Frías Alejandra Ametller
Education	University of Saint Francis Xavier
Signature

Biography

Tomás Frías was born to a wealthy land-owning family in Potosí. Born 21 December 1804 Potosí, Bolivia

Political career

Frías was Minister of Foreign Relations of President José Ballivián (1841-1847) and a steadfast supporter of civilian rule and the primacy of laws. He was named President by Congress upon the death of dictator Agustín Morales in November 1872. His task was to call free elections as soon as possible. He did so, and in May 1873 transferred power to the winning candidate, Adolfo Ballivián, the son of the former President and war hero, José Ballivián. Unfortunately, Adolfo Ballivián soon fell ill with cancer and died in February 1874, after only nine months in office. At that point, Tomás Frías became President again by virtue of his being head of the Council of State, in accordance to the Constitution then in effect. As Ballivián's legal successor, his term in office was projected to run until 1877.

In 1874, the elderly president signed with Chile a treaty that freed all Chilean citizens and companies from any taxes for the exploitation of Bolivian resources in the Pacific coast. A reciprocal agreement liberated Bolivian concerns of similar taxes in Chile, but in reality the Chilean investment in the Bolivian Litoral was extensive while Bolivia's economic presence in Chile was negligible. For this reason, it is considered to be an agreement contrary to Bolivian interests. Its annulment by the successor government proved to be the touchstone of the disastrous War of the Pacific.

Despite the almost universal respect for the Frías government, this was still the era of the caudillos, and of military adventurism in politics. The president was overthrown in an 1876 coup led by General Hilarión Daza, and soon left the country.

Death and legacy

He died in Florence, Italy, in 1884. Tomás Frías Province and Tomás Frías Autonomous University are named after him.

References