Mariano Valera (born 1770) was a Novohispanic military man who served as a captain in Guajoquilla (today's Jimenez), Coahuila, lieutenant governor of Manuel Maria de Salcedo in Texas, chief of the Texas government department, and commander of the military garrisons that defended the province's presidios. He also served, briefly, as interim governor of Texas in 1815, replacing Cristóbal Domínguez, as did his predecessor Benito Armiñán, although he only governed for a week or one year (according to different authors).

Biography

Born in 1770, his exact birthplace is unknown, although it is known that he was born somewhere in present-day Mexico. Around 1887, when he was seventeen, he joined the army in the region of Guajoquilla (today's Jimenez), in Coahuila. His military achievements allowed him to be promoted to the position of captain of the region.

In May 1807, after the arrival of Zebulon M. Pike's troops to Guajoquilla, Valera accompanied them to the Presidio of Río Grande, located in the catholic mission San Juan Bautista, Coahuila. Once there, Valera held the position of commander.

In August 1808 Valera was a member of a court martial led by the soldier Manuel Antonio Cordero y Bustamante, who served as governor of Texas at that time, in San Antonio, Texas. The council discussed the trip made by Napoleon's agent Octaviano d'Alvimar to New Spain. In June of the following year, Varela was assistant to the new Commanding officer of Texas, the Peninsular Spanish Bernardo Bonavía y Zapata. In this capacity he took part in the Bonavía meetings, which were held to discuss certain economic reforms the commander proposed implementing. At these meetings Varela worked as secretary.

Later, Varela was acting lieutenant governor of Manuel María de Salcedo in Texas, but in March 1810 he acquired more important political and military positions: he became the chief of the government department of Texas, and was also appointed commander of the military garrisons that defended the presidios of the province. After this, he and Bonavia appointed a number of people to important positions in the presidios. In May of that year, the Commandant-General of the Provincias Internas Nemesio Salcedo asked him to return to San Juan Bautista, where he was to lead the troops of the presidio, but he did not obey Salcedo until this one returned to San Antonio.

However, there was little that Verela could do during this new stage as leader of San Juan Bautista. This is because in January 1811 the independence fighters had gained power in the presidio, which was led by Antonio Griego, who defended the independence of New Spain from Spain and served as the commander of the place. Loyal to Ferdinand VII, he refused to accept Napoleon as the new king of Spain.

For a time, Varela commanded the Texas Cavalry, but on July 20, 1815^[1] he was appointed interim governor of the North American province.^[1][2] He was appointed governor to replace Cristóbal Domínguez, who had died in office, while taking the place of Colonel Benito Armiñán, interim governor who was unable to finish his administration due to health problems.^[2] However, Verelo also had health problems when he came to command Texas,^[1] so he could only sustain the administration of the province for one week^[2] or one year.^[1]

On August 14, 1824, Varela was part of the Congressional delegation of the newly established state of Coahuila y Texas in Saltillo. He again had a seat in the same Congress on 11 March 1827. The date and place of his death are unknown.^[1]

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