In 1922 he was appointed by President Alfredo Zayas as interim Chief of Staff, replacing General Armando Montes, who had accepted the position of Secretary of War and Navy.

"[1] As a result, Sumner Welles devised a new plan in which Herrera would remain the only Cabinet member who would not resign from Machado's administration thus by default becoming the interim President solely for the purpose of appointing Carlos Manuel de Céspedes y Quesada, the son of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes (Father of the Country), as member of Herrera's Cabinet.

Immediately thereafter, Herrera would resign and as Carlos Manuel de Céspedes y Quesada would be the only one left in the Cabinet, he would by default become the new President.

Sumner Welles' intention was to keep a form of constitutional continuance between the departure of Machado and the installation of a new government.

After the appointment of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes y Quesada as President, Herrera fled to the Hotel Nacional and later secured passage to flee Cuba.