Arista, Mariano, 1802-1855

Secretary of war for Mexico.

President of Mexico (1851-1853). Born 1802 in San Luis Potosí; died 1855 on board the vessel Tagus en route from Lisbon, Portugal, to France. Other offices held: brigadier general, member of Tribunal de Guerra, member of Junta del Código Militar, Inspector of the active militia, Comandante General of Tamaulipas (1839), General en Jefe del Ejército del Norte (1840), Secretario de Guerra y Marina (1848-1851). Declared benemérito de la patria (national hero) on January 26, 1856, by the Comonfort government.

Born July 26, 1802 in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, Arista joined the Puebla regiment and advanced to brigadier general. Made commandant general of Tamaulipas and general of the Mexican Army of the North in 1839 and put down attempts to establish the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840, in that capacity commanded the Mexican forces in the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma in May 1846. Became Mexican Secretary of War in 1848. Declared constitutional President of Mexico in 1851 but was exiled in 1853 near Lisbon, Portugal, where he died on Aug. 7, 1855.