Juan José de Vértiz y Salcedo

Juan José de Vértiz y Salcedo (Mérida, Yucatán, present-day México, 1719 - Madrid, Spain, 1799) was a Spanish colonial politician born in New Spain, and Viceroy of the Río de la Plata.

Son of a prominent peninsular politician, he studied in Spain and had a military education, serving in several Spanish campaigns, such as in Italy and France. Before becoming viceroy he held the post of Governor of Buenos Aires, under the administration of the Viceroyalty of Perú and Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata, having as his main priority to expel the Portuguese from the "Banda Oriental", present-day Uruguay, without success.

He assumed the post of Viceroy in 1778, having had a wide set of accomplishments, developing a local economy, colonizing uninhabited lands (or inhabited by local natives), establishing local government ("Intendencias") all over the viceroyalty and prepared the way to the foundation of the Real Audiencia de Buenos Aires. As his social work, he tried to group artisans in trade unions, mimicking the European system. During his administration, he established the first city census, which at the time showed about 37,000 inhabitants. He also created the first theatre in the city: "La Ranchería".

He played an important role in the repression of the upraising Túpac Amaru II in Perú. In 1784 he asked to return to Spain, leaving the viceroyalty and giving it to his successor Nicolás del Campo. He died in Spain in 1799.