Fermín Toro

Who was Fermín Toro?

Fermín Toro y Blanco was a Venezuelan humanist, politician, diplomat and author. Among his many public positions he was Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Finance, President of the National Convention of 1858, President of the Chamber of Deputies and Plenipotenciary Minister to the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Colombia. Together with the Spanish queen Isabel II he signed in 1846 the Treaty of Recognition of Venezuela's Independence by Spain, the former colonial metropolis, which he had partially negotiated. He also negotiated border delimitations with Colombia and relevant political issues with European capitals. He is remember for his writings, oratorical skills and moral streght against dictatorship. Even though he was the author of the first Venezuelan novel he is better known for his economic and political essays. He is considered by many as the best orator in Venezuela's parliamentary history. His remains were located at the Panteón Nacional on 23 April 1876. He was related to Francisco Rodríguez del Toro and Fernando Rodríguez del Toro, important figures of the Venezuelan Independence and to María Teresa Rodríguez del Toro, the wife of Simón Bolívar. Several universities and schools have been named in his honour, including the Liceo Fermin Toro, Venezuela's largest and more prestigious public school. He has been the object of several biographies.