Juan Francisco Meneses

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Juan Francisco Meneses Echanes (June 24, 1785 – December 25, 1860) was a Chilean priest and political figure who helped shape Chile in the early years of its republic.

Early life
He was born in Santiago, Chile, the son of Jose Ignacio Meneses and Micaela Echanes. He studied humanities, philosophy and law at the Convictorio de San Carlos and the Universidad de San Felipe, earning a Doctorate in Civil and Canon Law in 1804. In 1808 he married Carmen Bilbao and they had several children. He worked as secretary to the Royal Governor Francisco García Carrasco and later as a legal and military aide to the Intendant of Concepción.

Royalist period and exile
During the Chilean struggle for independence, Meneses remained loyal to the Crown. In 1812 he became secretary of the New Appeals Court and later served as a Minister of the Supreme Court of Justice. He was secretary to Royal Governor Francisco Marcó del Pont in 1815. After the royalist defeat at the Battle of Chacabuco, he went into exile in Lima, Peru, where he practiced law and served as secretary to the Viceroy; there he also became a widower.

Priesthood and politics
After his wife’s death, he began theology studies in Cuzco, returning to Santiago in 1821. He was ordained a priest on April 21, 1822, and served as rector of Santa Rosa de Los Andes. He was elected deputy for Los Andes in 1823 and was reelected in 1826 and 1829. In 1827 he became rector of the Instituto Nacional and a professor at the Universidad de San Felipe. As a leading voice of the clergy, he opposed the new republican order and took part in conspiracies that led to the Chilean Civil War of 1829. In 1829 he became secretary to the Government Junta. In 1830 he served as Minister of the Interior and Foreign Affairs and also as Minister of Finance. He was elected senator for Aconcagua in 1831 and served for many years. In 1833 he was secretary of the Constitutional Assembly that drafted the new constitution. He also worked as a journalist for El Araucano and La Gaceta del Rey and managed the National Museum.

Later life
In March 1830 he became the last rector of the Universidad de San Felipe; when it was replaced by the Universidad de Chile in 1843, he became vice-rector and, from 1846, dean of the School of Law and Political Sciences, a position he held until 1855. In 1856 he joined clergy actions against the Archbishop of Santiago over the expulsion of a verger. In October 1859 he was named Dean and Vicar of the Cathedral of Santiago. He died in Santiago on Christmas Day, 1860, at age 75.

Quick facts
- Born: June 24, 1785, in Santiago, Chile
- Died: December 25, 1860, in Santiago, Chile
- Occupations: priest, lawyer, journalist, teacher, politician
- Notable roles: Minister of the Interior and Foreign Affairs (1830); Minister of Finance (1830); long-serving Senator for Aconcagua; rector and dean in Chilean universities

External reference
Official biography (in Spanish) is available for more details.