Hilarión Daza Net Worth

Background and career

Hilarión Daza Grosellé (né Grosoli Daza; 14 January 1840 – 27 February 1894) was a Bolivian military officer who served as the 19th president of Bolivia from 1876 to 1879.

Born in Sucre, Daza enlisted in the Bolivian Army and rapidly ascended the ranks. He earned the favor of Mariano Melgarejo, who promoted him to commander, but later helped oust him in an 1871 uprising. He served as minister of war in the cabinet of Tomás Frías from 1874 to 1876, but overthrew him in another coup d'état in May 1876.

During his term, Daza settled debts with the Catholic Church and withdrew Bolivia's debased currency from circulation. He contended with the Grande Seca, the century's most severe drought, which had major economic ramifications. In foreign policy, Daza imposed a ten-cent tax per quintal of exported saltpeter, a measure that triggered the War of the Pacific in 1879. Daza personally commanded the Bolivian Army through a series of military disasters, resulting in the nation's defeat and the permanent loss of its coastline to Chile.

Following the war, Daza was stripped of his command and forced to relinquish the presidency. He fled to exile in Europe, and lived in Paris for fourteen years. In 1894, he petitioned to return to Bolivia but upon his arrival was assassinated in Uyuni by the officials charged with his custody. The circumstances of his death remain unresolved.