He became Minister of Foreign Affairs and of the Interior under the presidency of Domingo Santa Maria. He was elected President in 1886. On January 1, 1891 he claimed his intention to terminate an "intolerable situation", by refusing to convoke the assembly, and he ordered to continue the collection of taxes. This action provoked the Chilean Civil War of 1891, which ended with the overthrow of President Balmaceda, who later committed suicide on September 18, in the anniversary of his elevation to the Presidency.