José María Vargas

President of Venezuela

10 March 1786 La Guaira, Venezuela

13 July 1854(1854-07-13) (68) New York City, USA

9 February 1835 – 9 July 1835

This article is about the Venezuelan President. For the Ecuadorian friar and historian, see José María Vargas (historian). In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Vargas and the second or maternal family name is Ponce. José María Vargas Ponce (10 March 1786, La Guaira – 13 April 1854, New York City) was the President of Venezuela from 1835–1836. Vargas was Venezuela's first civilian president. He graduated with a degree in philosophy from the Seminario Tridentino, and obtained in 1809 his medical degree from the Real y Pontificia Universidad de Caracas. Vargas was imprisoned in 1813 for revolutionary activities. Upon his release in 1813, he travelled to Europe for medical training. Vargas performed cataract surgery. He was one of the earliest oculists (eye surgeons) in Puerto Rico after his arrival there in 1817. He returned to Venezuela to practice medicine and surgery in 1825. He resigned from his presidency in 1836. Personal life José María Vargas was married to Encarnación Maitín, who served as First Lady of Venezuela from 1835 to 1836. In 1877, his ashes were brought to Caracas and buried in the National Pantheon on 27 April of that same year. Encarnación Maitín in 1827 Se licenció en Filosofía en el Seminario Tridentino y obtuvo en 1809 su título de médico en la Real y Pontificia Universidad de Caracas. Vargas fue encarcelado en 1813 por actividades revolucionarias. Tras su liberación en 1813, viajó a Europa para recibir formación médica. Vargas realizó una cirugía de cataratas. Fue uno de los primeros oculistas (cirujanos oftalmológicos) en Puerto Rico después de su llegada allí en 1817. Regresó a Venezuela para ejercer la medicina y la cirugía en 1825. Renunció a su presidencia en 1836.