José Fructuoso Rivera

…he had been allied with José Fructuoso Rivera, the first president of Uruguay, their ambitions eventually clashed. As president, Oribe sought to extend government control over rural districts ruled by Rivera. Angered by this challenge and by accusations of financial mismanagement during his term in office, Rivera rose in revolt…

…formally founded until 1821, when José Fructuoso Rivera established a settlement called San Pedro de Durazno, a name concocted from Dom Pedro de Alcântara, prince regent of Brazil, and durazno (“peach”), for the local fruit trees. During the fight for Uruguayan independence, Durazno was a republican headquarters.

…the first and second presidents, José Fructuoso Rivera and Manuel Oribe, battled each other in what became known as the Guerra Grande (“Great War”). Oribe’s adherents, who displayed white colours, became the Blanco (“White”) Party and controlled the interior. Rivera and his followers used red colours and became the Colorado…