Pedro Melo de Portugal y Villena
Pedro Melo de Portugal y Villena (born April 29, 1733 in Badajoz , Extremadura region , Spain ; † April 15, 1797 in Buenos Aires , today Argentina ) was a Spanish officer and colonial administrator who served as viceroy of the Río de la Plata .
Pedro de Melo embarked on a military career and served in the Spanish infantry . In 1770 he went to South America and served as governor in Paraguay . In 1795 he replaced Nicolás Antonio de Arredondo as viceroy of the Río de la Plata.
He continued the infrastructural improvements that his predecessor had initiated in Buenos Aires. Like his predecessor, he was concerned that the French residents of the colony might pursue revolutionary ideas. After the Treaty of Basel in 1795, he saw the danger more in potential British attacks. He fortified the defenses of Montevideo and opposed the slave trade in vain .
Melo died in office in 1797 and was temporarily replaced in office by representatives of the Real Audiencia until the office was passed to Antonio de Olaguer y Feliú in May 1797 .
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- Short biography (Spanish)
- Biography (spanish)
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Nicolás Antonio de Arredondo |
Viceroy of the Río de la Plata 1795–1797 |
Antonio de Olaguer y Feliú |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Melo de Portugal y Villena, Pedro |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Viceroy of the Río de la Plata |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 29, 1733 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Badajoz , Spain |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 15, 1797 |
| Place of death | Buenos Aires |