Valle, José Cecilio del (1776–1834)

Central American Conservative politician. Valle was elected mayor of Guatemala city 1820 towards the end of Spanish colonial rule. To avert social revolution, he joined the provisional junta which took control of Central America 1821, and led its annexation into Agustin de Iturbide's Mexican empire. When this fell 1824, he was elected first president of the Federation of Central America, but was denied the post on a technicality. He died as the votes that would have made him president were being counted.