Pedro Celestino Negrete

Pedro Celestino Joseph Negrete y Falla (Carranza, Spain, May 19, 1777 - Bordeaux, France, April 11, 1846) was a Spanish-Mexican politician and soldier who served as a member of the provisional government of Mexico after the abolition of the First Mexican Empire due to the rebellion of those who supported the Casa Mata Plan. He fought alongside Agustín de Iturbide in the royalist army. When the Iguala Plan was signed, Pedro adhered to it. He was a close associate of Iturbide when he was emperor, and later pressured him to abdicate to the Mexican crown.

Origins, military training and presidency

Don Pedro Celestino was born in San Esteban in the Carranza Valley, Vizcaya, on May 19, 1777. Negrete served in the army of his native country, was a seminarian in Vergara and a midshipman in Ferrol. In 1802 he sailed for New Spain, where, as a frigate lieutenant, he pursued privateers. In the year 1808 there was a rebellion of the merchants that forced Negrete to leave the country, returning in 1810 to form part of the royalist army and fight against the insurgents. In the year 1811 he became a colonel in the armies of Puebla, Toluca, Querétaro and the Dragones of Spain. He was active, brave and very capable, for which he was promoted through rigorous ranks to brigadier. On May 6, 1821, he met with Iturbide in Yurécuaro and on June 2 of the same year he adhered to the plan of Iguala. Iturbide commissioned him to convince the royalist José de la Cruz to recognize the said plan, but he did not accept.

Negrete marched to the city of Durango, which was occupied by General Joaquín de Arredondo. As this chief was absent, his position was held by General Diego García Conde, who refused to enter into deals with Negrete, engaging in a combat in which Don Pedro was wounded by a bullet to the jaw. Recovered from his wound, he was named captain general of Jalisco, Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí .

Later years, exile and death

On January 9, 1827, a conspiracy was discovered in Mexico City, led by the friar Joaquín Arenas, who was shot. Generals Negrete and José Antonio de Echávarri, both Spanish, took part in the conspiracy. General Manuel Gómez Pedraza, Secretary of War, had them arrested and put on trial to be shot, a sentence that was commuted to exile. Don Pedro went to New York and later to Bordeaux, France, where he established his residence. There his death would surprise him on April 11, 1846, at the age of 68,