Born in the household formed by José María Pérez Calisto, Knight First Class of the Royal American Order of Isabel the Catholic, and Leonor de Pareja y Arteta.
He was military chief of the province of Pichincha, only to be interim president of Ecuador as a member of pentavirato who ruled the country between 14 January and 15 October 1883, along with Pablo Herrera, Luis Cordero, Pedro Lizarzaburu and Agustin Guerrero.