Jerónimo Díaz

The career of the relatively-young parish priest Jeronimo Diaz has rapidly cataputed him to prominence.  Appointed Bishop of Michoacan during 1831 breaktrhough in Mexican-Papal realtions, he distinguished himself as an eloquent and principled objector to the anticlerical "reforms" of the Farias administration.  When Farias was removed he was appointed by the new Barragan - Santa Anna government as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Since that appointment in 1835 has hasn't shown a moment of complacency, representing the Second Republic in negotiations across both Europe and the Americas.  Working with Santa Anna and Tejas Governor-General Manuel de Cos he also brokered a cessation of hostilities with the Apache, and acceptance of missionaries for the first time in years.  

While Diaz would never claim himself part of any "faction" his public profile has made a leading voice among more moderate Catholic conservatives, advocating for Church primacy but maintaining democratic systems.  He is on record saying the Siete Leyes should be further modified before ratification, and that protesting the government is legitimate in some cases.