[1] Don Vicente had held prominent civic positions as judge and mayor in Valencia County, under both Spanish and Mexican Governments.

In 1841 he enrolled at St. Louis University in the state of Missouri[1] and subsequently graduated from Pingree College[dubious – discuss] in Fishkill, New York, where he taught while he began his study of law.

In 1852, he returned to New Mexico and led a herd of sheep, thought to belong to his brother, Antonio José Otero, overland to California.

On July 23, 1856, he was seated as a Democratic Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, after successfully contesting the election of José Manuel Gallegos.

Otero declined that office to accept an appointment as secretary of the territory of New Mexico, but the Senate did not confirm him because of his involvement in the 1860 Democratic National Convention in South Carolina and his pro-confederate tendencies.