Son of a French Argentine immigrant, Daract was born in San Luis, Argentina, studied in Buenos Aires, and became a retailer. The alliance in 1840 of Córdoba and five smaller, northwestern provinces in a Northern Coalition against Buenos Aires Province Governor Juan Manuel de Rosas (the paramount figure in the Argentine Confederation) prompted Daract to join the Unitarian Party. Following the coalition's defeat in November, however, Daract fled to Chile, and reopened his former Buenos Aires business there. He received financial support from the governor of San Luis Province, Pablo Lucero, and stockpiled arms for an eventual return.