# Cabinet of Manuel Isidoro Belzu

The Belzu Cabinet constituted the 17th to 22nd cabinets of the Bolivian Republic. It was formed on 10 February 1849, 66 days after Manuel Isidoro Belzu was installed as the 11th president of Bolivia following a coup d'état, succeeding the Fourth Velasco Cabinet. It was dissolved on 15 August 1855 upon the end of Belzu's term and was succeeded by the Cabinet of Jorge Córdova.

## Composition

| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Prof. | Took office | Left office | Term |
| President | Manuel Isidoro Belzu | Mil. | Mil. | 6 December 1848 | 15 August 1850 | 2,443 |
| President | Manuel Isidoro Belzu | Mil. | Mil. | 15 August 1850 | 15 August 1855 | 2,443 |
| Secretary General | Manuel José de Asín | Ind. | Jur. | 13 December 1848 | 17 January 1849 | 35 |
| Secretary General | Lucas Mendoza de la Tapia | Ind. | Mag. | 17 January 1849 | 10 February 1849 | 24 |
| Minister of the Interior and Foreign Affairs | Manuel José de Asín | Ind. | Jur. | 10 February 1849 | 18 March 1849 | 36 |
| Secretary General | Tomás Baldivieso | Ind. | Mag. | 18 March 1849 | 9 June 1849 | 921 |
| Minister of the Interior and Foreign Affairs | Tomás Baldivieso | Ind. | Mag. | 9 June 1849 | 25 September 1851 | 921 |
| Minister of the Interior and Foreign Affairs | Juan Crisòstomo Unzueta | Ind. | Mag. | 25 September 1851 | 23 April 1852 | 293 |
| Secretary General | Juan Crisòstomo Unzueta | Ind. | Mag. | 23 April 1852 | 11 July 1852 | 293 |
| Minister of the Interior | Juan Crisòstomo Unzueta | Ind. | Mag. | 11 July 1852 | 14 July 1852 | 293 |
| Minister of the Interior | Rudesindo Carvajal | Ind. | Law. | 14 July 1852 | 6 September 1852 | 400 |
| Minister of the Interior | Rudesindo Carvajal | Ind. | Law. | 6 September 1852 | 6 July 1853 | 400 |
| Minister of the Interior and Worship | Rudesindo Carvajal | Ind. | Law. | 6 July 1853 | 18 August 1853 | 400 |
| Minister of the Interior and Worship | Joaquín de Aguirre | Ind. | Law. | 18 August 1853 | 28 November 1853 | 530 |
| Minister of the Interior | Joaquín de Aguirre | Ind. | Law. | 28 November 1853 | 6 December 1853 | 530 |
| Secretary General | Joaquín de Aguirre | Ind. | Law. | 6 December 1853 | 31 January 1854 | 530 |
| Minister of the Interior and Worship | Joaquín de Aguirre | Ind. | Law. | 31 January 1854 | 28 November 1854 | 530 |
| Secretary General | Joaquín de Aguirre | Ind. | Law. | 28 November 1854 | 24 December 1854 | 530 |
| Minister of the Interior and Worship | Joaquín de Aguirre | Ind. | Law. | 24 December 1854 | 30 January 1855 | 530 |
| Minister of the Interior and Worship | José María Valda | Ind. | Law. | 30 January 1855 | 15 August 1855 | 197 |
| Minister of War | José Gabriel Tellez | Mil. | Mil. | 10 February 1849 | 31 January 1853 | 1,451 |
| Minister of War | Gonzalo Lanza | Mil. | Mil. | 31 January 1853 | 21 July 1853 | 171 |
| Minister of War | Juan Crisóstomo Hermosa | Mil. | Mil. | 21 July 1853 | 24 December 1854 | 521 |
| Minister of War | Luciano Alcoreza | Mil. | Mil. | 24 December 1854 | 15 August 1855 | 234 |
| Minister of Finance | Lucas Mendoza de la Tapia | Ind. | Mag. | 10 February 1849 | 9 June 1849 | 119 |
| Minister of Finance | Rafael Bustillo | Ind. | Law. | 9 June 1849 | 9 September 1851 | 822 |
| Minister of Finance | Tomás Baldivieso | Ind. | Mag. | 9 September 1851 | 25 September 1851 | 16 |
| Minister of Finance | Melchor Urquidi | Ind. | Mag. | 25 September 1851 | 31 January 1853 | 494 |
| Minister of Finance | Atanacio Hernández | Ind. | Law. | 31 January 1853 | 18 August 1853 | 199 |
| Minister of Finance | Manuel Eusebio Réyes | Ind. | Law. | 18 August 1853 | 28 November 1853 | 102 |
| Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs | Rafael Bustillo | Ind. | Law. | 28 November 1853 | 31 January 1854 | 64 |
| Minister of Finance | Manuel Eusebio Réyes | Ind. | Law. | 31 January 1854 | 8 November 1854 | 281 |
| Minister of Finance | Rafael Bustillo | Ind. | Law. | 8 November 1854 | 30 January 1855 | 83 |
| Minister of Finance | Manuel Eusebio Réyes | Ind. | Law. | 30 January 1855 | 15 August 1855 | 197 |
| Minister of Public Instruction | Lucas Mendoza de la Tapia | Ind. | Mag. | 10 February 1849 | 29 August 1849 | 200 |
| Minister of Public Instruction and Worship | José Manuel Loza | Ind. | Chan. | 29 August 1849 | 3 January 1850 | 127 |
| Minister of Public Instruction and Worship | José Agustin de la Tapia | Ind. | Chan. | 3 January 1850 | 25 September 1851 | 630 |
| Minister of Public Instruction and Worship | Domingo Delgadillo | Ind. | Chan. | 25 September 1851 | 11 July 1852 | 290 |
| Minister of Public Instruction and Foreign Affairs | Rafael Bustillo | Ind. | Law. | 11 July 1852 | 14 July 1852 | 360 |
| Minister of Public Instruction, Foreign Affairs, and Worship | Rafael Bustillo | Ind. | Law. | 14 July 1852 | 6 July 1853 | 360 |
| Minister of Public Instruction and Foreign Affairs | Joaquín de Aguirre | Ind. | Law. | 6 July 1853 | 18 August 1853 | 43 |
| Minister of Public Instruction and Foreign Affairs | Rafael Bustillo | Ind. | Law. | 18 August 1853 | 28 November 1853 | 102 |
| Minister of Public Instruction and Worship | José Agustin de la Tapia | Ind. | Law. | 28 November 1853 | 31 January 1854 | 64 |
| Minister of Public Instruction and Foreign Affairs | Rafael Bustillo | Ind. | Law. | 31 January 1854 | 8 November 1854 | 281 |
| Minister of Public Instruction and Foreign Affairs | Juan de la Cruz Benavente | Ind. | Law. | 8 November 1854 | 9 September 1857 | 1,036 |

## History

A few days after his assumption to office, Belzu charged all ministerial portfolios to Manuel José de Asín, as secretary general pending the formation of a proper ministerial cabinet. This charged was transferred to Lucas Mendoza de la Tapia on 17 January 1849. A full council of ministers was appointed on 10 February 1849, almost 2 months since the formation of the General Secretariat.
Due to various circumstances during Belzu's rule, the four ministries were reunited into a single General Secretariat during which time the minister of the interior was charged with executing all ministerial portfolios. This occurred on four occasions in 1849, 1852, from 1853 to 1854, and 1854. The longest of these was the first which lasted for 83 days between 18 March and 9 June 1849 while the shortest was the last at 26 days from 28 November to 24 December 1854.
The most prolific member of this cabinet was Rafael Bustillo who served a total of six different times, switching between the public instruction and finance portfolios. His longest single term was spent as minister of finance, lasting 822 days between 9 June 1849 and 9 September 1851. His shortest, at 64 days, came when he was reappointed to that position from 28 November 1853 to 31 January 1854. Cumulatively, he spent 1712 days (4 years and 8 months) as a government minister.

### Cabinets

| N° | Formed | Days | Decree |
| I | 10 February 1849 | 119 | Supreme Decree 10-02-1849 |
| II | 9 June 1849 | 838 | Supreme Decree 09-06-1849 |
| III | 25 September 1851 | 290 | Supreme Decree 25-09-1851 |
| IV | 11 July 1852 | 403 | Supreme Decree 11-07-1852 |
| V | 18 August 1853 | 166 | Supreme Decree 18-08-1853 |
| VI | 31 January 1854 | 561 | Supreme Decree 31-01-1854 |

### Structural changes

| Portfolio | Part of | Transferred to | Date | Decree |
| Worship | None | Ministry of Public Instruction | 29 August 1849 | Supreme Decree 29-08-1849 |
| Worship | Ministry of Public Instruction | None | 11 July 1852 | Supreme Decree 11-07-1852 |
| Foreign Affairs | Ministry of the Interior | Ministry of Public Instruction | 11 July 1852 | Supreme Decree 11-07-1852 |
| Worship | None | Ministry of Public Instruction | 14 July 1852 | Supreme Decree 14-07-1852 |
| Worship | Ministry of Public Instruction | Ministry of the Interior | 6 July 1853 | Supreme Decree 06-07-1853 |
| Worship | Ministry of the Interior | Ministry of Public Instruction | 28 November 1853 | Supreme Decree 28-11-1853 |
| Foreign Affairs | Ministry of Public Instruction | Ministry of Finance | 28 November 1853 | Supreme Decree 28-11-1853 |
| Foreign Affairs | Ministry of Finance | Ministry of Public Instruction | 31 January 1854 | Supreme Decree 31-01-1854 |
| Worship | Ministry of Public Instruction | Ministry of the Interior | 31 January 1854 | Supreme Decree 31-01-1854 |