▁during ▁the ▁war ▁of ▁ 1 8 3 9 , ▁def ending ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁José ▁Ig na cio ▁de ▁M ár quez ▁against ▁the ▁revol t ▁of ▁General ▁José ▁María ▁Ob ando , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁administration ’ s ▁closure ▁of ▁the ▁Catholic ▁convent s ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Pas to . ▁This ▁victory ▁prop elled ▁him ▁to ▁the ▁political ▁ar ena ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁nominated ▁as ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁by ▁President ▁M ár quez . ▁ ▁Diplom atic ▁career ▁ ▁Herr án ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁En voy ▁Ext ra ordinary ▁and ▁Minister ▁Pl en ip ot enti ary ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁E cuador , ▁the ▁Holy ▁See , ▁and ▁Costa ▁Rica . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁▁ ▁As ▁stated ▁above , ▁Herr án ▁was ▁proc laimed ▁as ▁a ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁by ▁President ▁M ár quez . ▁He ▁faced ▁two ▁oppon ents , ▁E use bio ▁Bor rero ▁and ▁Vic ente ▁Az u ero . ▁However ▁none ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁obtained ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁popular ▁vote , ▁and ▁thus ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁a ▁President ▁was ▁left ▁to ▁Congress ▁. ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 1 , ▁Congress ▁elected ▁General ▁Alc ánt ara ▁as ▁President ▁and ▁General ▁Dom ingo ▁C ay ced o ▁as ▁Vice - Pres ident . ▁ ▁The ▁Pres iden cy ▁▁▁ ▁Herr án ▁was ▁elected ▁President ▁by ▁Congress ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 1 , ▁for ▁a ▁four ▁years ▁period , ▁but ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁able ▁to ▁be ▁inaugur ated ▁as ▁he ▁was ▁still ▁command ing