Manuel de Mercado Aldrete was born in
Spain and ordained a priest in the
Order of Saint Jerome. On February September 4, 1570,
Pope Pius V, appointed him
Bishop of Puerto Rico. In 1571, he was consecrated bishop by
Cristóbal Rojas Sandoval,
Archbishop of Seville. On March 28, 1576,
Pope Gregory XIII, appointed him
Bishop of Panamá. He served as Bishop of Panamá until his death on 4 April 1580. ==References==