Pedro María de Anaya
Pedro Bernardino María de Anaya y Álvarez (20 May 1794 – 21 March 1854) was a Mexican soldier who served twice as interim president of Mexico during the Mexican-American War.Pedro María Anaya was born in the town of Huichapan in 1794 and began his military career in June 1811, joining the Regiment of Tres Villas as a cadet when the Mexican War of Independence had already begun.When the Revolt of the Polkos subsequently broke out, Anaya stood behind Gómez Farías, but Antonio López de Santa Anna arrived to moderate a solution between the two factions and deposed Gomez Farias, Anaya was chosen as the interim president while Santa Anna went to deal with the American expeditionary force that had landed at Veracruz.He managed to repulse an entire enemy column, and he suffered burns after an explosion of artillery, he finally surrendered under orders, and fell prisoner.Congress meanwhile proclaimed that nobody under any public post could appropriate private property, the free cultivation of tobacco was permitted, it attempted to dissolve the general-commandancies, and Aguascalientes was designated as new seat of government in case the Americans took Querétaro.Guerilla warfare however threatened to afflict Mexicans themselves and President Anaya made a show of force with sixteen thousand troops at his command.