José Mariano Martín Buenaventura Ignacio Nepomuceno García de Arista Nuez[1] (26 July 1802 – 7 August 1855) was a Mexican soldier and politician who also became president of Mexico.

The Herrera and Arista administrations occurring immediately after the end of the Mexican American War were eras of stability, moderate rule, and economic growth.

That same year he decided to join Agustin de Iturbide's Plan of Iguala and on 11 June 1821 presented himself before the Army of the Three Guarantees, with a bugle, five officers and twenty dragoons of the Mexico Regiment, and fifty troops which he gathered from miscellaneous corps.

He fulfilled his orders of advancing with several dragoons up to the sentry-box of Cholula which had been repulsing all attempted attacks, and entered with his small forces close to the fortified point of San Javier.

Under the command of Brigadier Pedro Zarazoa, he joined in various expeditions and offered his services during the final siege of Mexico City, forming a part of the first division.

He was present in June 1824 at a battle near the Hacienda of Coamancingo not far from Apam, and having reached a partisan of Vicente Gomez, he executed him after having come into conflict with various guerilla leaders.

He took part in the rebellions against the election of Manuel Gomez Pedraza pronouncing at Perote with Santa Anna, and when General Anastasio Bustamante rose up in Jalapa against President Vicente Guerrero, Arista marched towards Puebla and sent four hundred cavalry to help those who had decided to join in the uprising.

He gained the favor of President Bustamante and was promoted to effective colonel on 12 February 1831 and in August of that same year, Brigadier General, in spite of being opposed to the government's annulment of the law which had expelled all Spaniards from the country.

He fought uprisings against the government of Bustamante, in April 1832, under the command of General Inclan, defeating the forces which had risen up in Lerma as part of the Plan of Veracruz.

After failing to dislodge Colonel Gonzales from his strongly fortified point at Santa Maria del Monte, he parleyed eventually bringing him back to supporting the government, thus pacifying all of the Valley of Toluca.

Here Arista parted ways with the president turning back at Morelia, and rejoining the main body of the military, he fought at the Jornada del Gallinero, and after victory there advanced within two leagues of Zacatecas before returning to aid the capital.

With the country now pacified of insurgents, he focused on reorganizing the army meant to contribute to the defense of the national integrity against the forces of the Texas rebels.

As tensions between the United States and Mexico were leading to war, Arista made considerable effort to secure the frontier, and increased the division under his command to six thousand men.

It was there though that he received another order to return to his post in April, 1846 as news arrived that American forces under the command of Zachary Taylor were heading to Matamoros.

He proposed a light series of taxes to meet the deficit, but it was met with a barrage of opposition by the states, and congress refrained from pressing the matter.

While states were struggling from a lack of funds, congress took care to issue a decree imposing an eight percent tax on duties for the payment o fits members and of treasury officials.

By a decree of May 19, 1852, an effort was made to carry out the provisions of November 1850 for the consolidation and settlement of the interior debt, but the funds assigned by the government proved insufficient to cover more than two thirds of the interest.

[17] In the northeastern provinces under the pretext of protesting the high tariff rates, José María Jesús Carbajal enlisted 500 mercenaries in Texas and crossed the border into Mexico on September 18 where he was joined by 200 more troops.

They took Camargo and marched on Matamoros whereupon Avalos the local prefect agreed to a reduction on duties and a removal on prohibitions, which only resulted in Mexico being flooded by American goods against which Mexican manufacturing could not compete.

The local garrison held their own against him, and news of the government reinforcements finally caused Carbajal to flee on October 30 and seek refuge across the border.

[19] By the middle of 1852 Juan Clímaco Rebolledo had risen in Vera Cruz over financial policy, and his views were considered moderate enough that the Arista government instructed the state authorities to negotiate with him only to be rebuffed.

[20] In Jalisco, Governor Jesús López Portillo [es] had made himself unpopular by introducing an intrusive policy system and giving off the impression that he was merely a tool of the federalist government.

The council proclaimed Gregoria Davila as the new governor and called upon him to summon a legislature, to revise the state constitution and introduce reforms with Blancarte retaining the chief military command.

Portillo retreated with a few loyal troops to Lagos, where he called upon the federal government for aid, but they only sent unarmed negotiators, and meanwhile the Blancarte movement increased in strength.

As the Blancarte Revolt grew in strength, an extra session of congress was now called to consider a fresh appeal for aid, in the shape of a loan of three million pesos, additional taxes and special powers for the executive.

A small advanced was secured to sustain an army against the insurrection, and congress was uneasy as only half of the governors now signaled even partial loyalty to the federal government.

Former President Arista left the Palace at half past thirty in the morning, leaving his official resignation with the Minister of Relations Arroyo to be handed over to congress.