Lares, Teodosio, 1806-1870

Politician. Born 1806 in Asientos de Ibarra (Aguascalientes, Mexico); died 1870 in Mexico City. Lares studied law in Mexico City and became a member of the conservative party and the Tribunal Supremo de Zacatecas. He became Ministro de Justicia in Antonio López de Santa Anna's government on April 20, 1853, and held several positions after the conservative takeover in 1857. From August 18 to December 24, 1860, Lares was Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores and Ministro de Justicia y Negocios Eclesiásticos. In 1863 he joined the Junta de Notables, which offered Maximilian the crown, and served as president of the Junta de Gobierno. The following year he was named Vicepresidente del Supremo Tribunal de Justicia del Imperio and Consejero de Gobierno. Under Maximilian, Lares served as Presidente del Consejo de Ministros and Ministro de Justicia. He was also part of the Junta de 35 Notables that refused to accept Maximilian's abdication. Lares served as Ministro de Justicia until May 1867, when he went into exile in Cuba. In 1870 he returned to Mexico City and died shortly thereafter.