Silvestre Selva

Silvestre Selva Sacasa (Granada, December 31, 1777 - 1855) was a Nicaraguan politician who, as a senator in the State Legislative Assembly, was appointed by the invading forces of Francisco Malespín to serve as provisional Supreme Director, which he served from December 16, 1844 to January 20, 1845 with headquarters in the city of Masaya.

He was the illegitimate son of Lieutenant General José Roberto Sacasa Marenco and Ubalda Rosalía Selva del Castillo Mayor.

In 1844, the so-called Guerra de Malespín took place, when León was besieged by troops from El Salvador and Honduras under the command of General Francisco Malespín, a Salvadoran military ruler and a conservative convinced that he obtained the support of the Granadan legitimists.

José Francisco del Montenegro and Juan Ruiz were the ambassadors sent by Granada and Rivas to Malespín, with the result of the creation of a provisional government in charge of Senator Selva based in Masaya and without the consent of León, seat of the government of Emiliano Madriz who as Supreme Director directed the defenses of the city, which was finally occupied with the subsequent looting of its churches.

After Malespín was overthrown in El Salvador by Joaquín Eufrasio Guzmán and Fermín Palacios on February 15, Selva was able to escape from León, where he was stationed after Blas Antonio Sáenz and José León Sandoval declared Masaya the seat of government in early 1845 and formed a counter-government, which on January 20 declared Sáenz as provisional Supreme Director, before Sandoval was elected on April 4.