[1] Villegas participated in the La Genuina revolution in 1867, and was elected president of the Chamber of Deputies in 1868, where he openly opposed the government of Falcón.

The Blue Revolution in 1868 removed Falcon from power,[1] and Villegas became Foreign Minister under President José Ruperto Monagas.

He published several reports and educational textbooks in the 1880s, and in 1889 President Juan Pablo Rojas Paul named him Minister of Public Instruction.

[1] Villegas served as interim President of Venezuela for the final time[1] in 1892, when Raimundo Andueza Palacio was in absentia while dealing with the outbreak of the Legalist Revolution.

As Minister of Interior and Justice, he drafted the decree of Constitutional Guarantees (Constitución Federal) which removed the death penalty, exile, and confinement for political enemies of the government.

He was elected president of the Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados) in April 1868, where he openly opposed Falcon's government.

[1] He also honored general José Gregorio Monagas,[1] and had a statue of El Libertador, Simón Bolívar, installed in the main square of Caracas.

[1] In 1870, Monagas left Caracas to fight the Liberal Revolution led by Antonio Guzman Blanco, and Villegas was once again appointed interim president in his absence[1] on 16 April 1870.

Also that year, President Juan Pablo Rojas Paul named him Minister of Public Instruction (Ministro de Instrucción Pública).

[1] Villegas served as interim President of Venezuela for the final time[1] starting on 17 June,[citation needed] 1892, when Raimundo Andueza Palacio was in absentia while dealing with the outbreak of the Legalist Revolution (Revolución Legalista) led by Joaquín Crespo.

[2] Moving from politics to education, he published the first Venezuelan popular instruction book on literature, science, and fine arts in 1895,[1] regarded[who?]

On 6 October 1901, he was named as a new member of the National Academy of History [es],[1] although the membership couldn't be put into effect due to Villegas' advanced age.