Michelina, Santos (1797–1848)

Santos Michelina (b. 1 November 1797; d. 12 March 1848), Venezuelan politician who became Venezuela's first secretary of finance in 1830. After briefly participating in the War of Independence, Michelina was imprisoned, then freed and expelled from the country. He settled in Philadelphia, where he studied economics, law, and business. In 1821 he returned to Venezuela and took up various public posts connected with financial affairs. In 1830 he became secretary of finance and foreign affairs and established the foundation for the financial organization of the republic. He took charge of managing the Venezuelan foreign debt and served as negotiator for the country in the working out of diverse international treaties. Later he filled other important public posts. He was elected representative to Congress and was wounded in the assault on Congress of 24 January 1848. He died in Caracas seven weeks later.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Tomás Michelena, Reseña biográfica de Santos Michelena. Parte histórica, administrativa y política de Venezuela, desde 1824 a 1848, 2d ed. (1951).

César A. Tinoco Richter, Santos Michelena (1797–1848) (1952).

Pedro José Vargas, Santos Michelena: Biografía y esbozo de su tiempo (1972).

Additional Bibliography

Botello, Oldman. Santos Michelena y su familia. Caracas, Venezuela: Congreso de la República, Ediciones de la Cámara de Diputados, 1997.

Carrillo Batalla, Tomas Enrique. El pensamiento económico de Santos Michelena. Caraca, Venezuela: Academia Nacional de Ciencias Economicas, 1992.

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