 His actions in this ordeal were questioned in the congress by Guillermo Antonio Matta, who proposed in 1873 that Cifuentes resign from his post.Cifuentes also participated in the composition of the act of deposition of President José Manuel Balmaceda in 1891, although he was not able to swear the oath as he was not in Congress at that time, and so Cifuentes administered the oath to the signatories.In 1919, Cifuentes was awarded the Order of St. Gregory the Great by the Vatican, the highest honor that a layman can attain.