the election at the time was held in two levels; first all the male citizens allowed to voted the second-degree electors, then the electors selected the president from among the candidates. the first round of vote was public, the second was secret. the requirements to be an elector generally included having properties and knowing how to read, which meant that most of them belonged to the rich families or the middle class. rodríguez won the popular vote but soto proclaimed esquivel the winner and a military parade in support of esquivel was held on november 7. the church made a call to defend the results on the streets on november 7 and soto, fearful of a civil war, resigned and his successor carlos durán cartín handles the power to rodríguez.