José Ignacio Pavón

Who was José Ignacio Pavón?

José Ignacio Pavón was a Mexican lawyer, jurist and politician. From 13 August 1860 to 15 August 1860, he served as unconstitutional interim conservative president of Mexico in opposition to Benito Juárez, the constitutional president.

Pavón was born in Veracruz, where he began his studies. He continued his education in the College of San Ildefonso in Mexico City, where he studied philosophy and law.

He was an honorary city councilman of Mexico City in 1818 and secretary of the censorship committee in 1820. The city government of Mexico City named him juez de hecho on the law of the press in 1822. Although he recognized Agustín de Iturbide as emperor at that time, he was a supporter of the republican party.

From 1823 he was a senior officer in the Department of the Treasury. Upon the triumph of the Plan of Casa Mata of Antonio López de Santa Anna, Vicente Guerrero and Nicolás Bravo against Iturbide, in 1824 he became an active participant in politics. The Governing Junta that succeeded Iturbide entrusted him with assembling materials to form a criminal code. In 1825 he became a senior officer in the Department of Foreign Relations. He worked to obtain British recognition of Mexico's independence, and for a commercial treaty. He was also interim political leader of Tabasco.