Bernardo O'Higgins accepted the position instead, and became the leader of an independent Chile. He was granted dictatorial powers as Supreme Director on 16 February 1817. On 12 February 1818, Chile proclaimed itself an independent republic. Throughout the war with the royalists, O'Higgins had engaged in an ongoing feud with José Miguel Carrera. After their retreat in 1814, O'Higgins had fared much better than Carrera, who found little support forthcoming from San Martín, O'Higgins' political ally. Carrera was imprisoned to prevent his involvement in Chilean affairs; after his escape, he ended up taking the winning side in the Argentine Federalist war, helping
José Bernardo de Tagle y Portocarrero, Marquis of Torre Tagle member of the triumvirate under José de La Mar. In January 1823, the congress appointed him president, but a military mutiny deposed him and proclaimed José de la Riva Agüero president on 28 February. After the deposition of Riva Agüero and his retreat to Trujillo, Torre Tagle was appointed president by Antonio José de Sucre on 20 July, and elected by the congress on 16 August, and Bolivar, who on his arrival 1 September had been proclaimed dictator, left him in charge of the government. During his tenure, the Peruvian flag, which had been established by José de San Martín,