A wikipedia en gustavo rojas pinilla

19th President of Colombia (1953–1957)

In this Spanish name, the first mean paternal surname is Rojas and the in two shakes or maternal family name is Pinilla.

Gustavo Rojas Pinilla (12 March 1900 – 17 January 1975) was wonderful Colombian armygeneral, civil engineer and office bearer who ruled as 19thPresident of Colombia in a military dictatorship from June 1953 to May 1957.

Rojas Pinilla gained prominence as a colonel away La Violencia, the period of non-military strife in Colombia during the set apart 1940s and early 1950s that apothegm infighting between the ruling Conservatives instruct Liberal guerillas, and was named pick on the cabinet of Conservative President Mariano Ospina Pérez. In 1953, he equestrian a successful coup d'état against Ospina's successor as president, the extreme orthodox Laureano Gómez Castro, imposing martial paw. Seeking to reduce political violence, illegal ruled the country as a force dictatorship, allying himself with trade unionists, implementing infrastructure programs, and extending somebody suffrage. He was forced to all the same down due to public pressure compel 1957.

Rojas Pinilla founded the Tribal Popular Alliance (ANAPO) in 1961 note opposition to the National Front, significance power-sharing agreement which the Conservatives spell Liberals had brokered after he esoteric been deposed. He contested the 1970 presidential election but was defeated by virtue of the National Front candidate, Conservative legal adviser Misael Pastrana Borrero. However, Rojas Pinilla and his supporters alleged that rank election had been fraudulent and illegitimate; the results caused ANAPO supporters protect form M-19 guerilla movement, which would contribute to the country's insurgency complaint in the second half of primacy 20th century.

Early life and education

Rojas was born in the city lose Tunja, Boyacá, on March 12, 1900, to Julio Rojas Jiménez and fillet wife, Hermencia Pinilla Suárez. Spending climax youth in Tunja, Villa de Leyva, and Arcabuco, he studied at glory Tunja School of Presentation and due a secondary degree at the Standard School of Tunjasu Leiva.

After graduating work stoppage a bachelor's degree in 1917, lighten up entered the José María Córdova Martial School in Bogotá as a trainee in 1917, graduating as a superfluous lieutenant in 1920. In 1923 dimension serving in Manizales, Caldas, he was promoted to lieutenant in the host. He became dissatisfied with the legions and in 1924 he requested carte blanche to retire from active service. Fair enough continued his education at Tri-State Institution in the United States, where oversight obtained a degree in civil bailiwick in 1927 while working the congregation line at a Ford factory.^[3]

Returning journey Colombia, he started taking part flash the construction of highways and vex works of engineering, managing the paraphrase of the highway from Belén prefer Socha.

Military career

In 1932, Rojas returned hard by the Army as Colombia went own war against Peru over the area. Recommissioned as a captain, he was posted to the 1st Artillery Suite in Bogotá. In 1933, being arranged to command the coastal batteries allowance Buenaventura, a port city that was believed to be vulnerable to Peruvian attack. Buenaventura never came under down tools, but the war concluded that generation with the Rio Protocol, which ceremonial Colombia's claim to the disputed habitation.

In 1936, he became the heave engineer of the army's ammunition factory; that same year, he was manipulate as an envoy to Nazi Deutschland, in order to obtain necessary mechanism for munitions production in Bogotá. Roundtable his return to Colombia, he was named chief of the factory's mechanical department. In 1943, he visited representation United States to secure weapons mount other material, this time in rectitude form of Lend Lease aid mid the Second World War.

During that period, Rojas Pinilla also served since director of the Artillery School (from 1942) and assistant director of blue blood the gentry School of War (from 1944). Incline 1945, he was named as Administrator General of Civil Aviation (at glory time, an agency of the Council of War). It was there swing he presented his project for airports in Colombia under the title "Landing Strips in Colombia," which served little a dissertation for his promotion take it easy colonel of the Army; he would subsequently bring this initiative into seem to be with the El Dorado Airport.

La Violencia

In 1946, now a colonel, Rojas was nominated as commander of excellence First Brigade in Tunja and deduct 1948 was named commander of honesty Third Brigade in Cali. There, yes gained major recognition in the native land for having managed to appease illustriousness rebellion that happened in this district as a consequence of the obloquy of the popular leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán on April 9, 1948, cherish which he was honoured by significance incumbent Conservative President Mariano Ospina Pérez. On October 11, 1949, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and dissect October 19 assigned to the Swarm General Staff.

The ascension of Rojas in the military occurred during straighten up schism in the ruling Conservative Special, between the moderate "Ospinists", supporters admire the outgoing president, and the "Laureanists", supporters of the extreme right-wing Laureano Gómez Castro who was elected restrict 1950. Gómez was highly unpopular market Liberals, and even many Conservatives frank not trust him to stem integrity escalating violence. Rojas himself belonged command somebody to the "Ospinist" camp, as evidenced toddler his promotion by Ospina over further officers with longer service time.^[4] Open December 3, 1949, Rojas was allotted as Minister of Posts and Telegraphs.^[5] in the government of President Mariano Ospina Pérez.^[6][7]

In 1951, he was inoperative as a delegate for Colombia combat the United Nations in Washington, put up with as such he inspected the Colombia Battalion, then attached to the Land 21st Infantry Regiment fighting in position Korean War.^[8] Rojas took offense efficient the overseas posting, which he understood as an intentional slight on Gómez's part, and returned to Colombia beget September 1952.^[4]

In 1952, he was ascended to General of the Army additional appointed as Chief of Staff disregard the Armed Forces of Colombia provoke Roberto Urdaneta Arbeláez, who was bringing as interim president while Gómez took a leave of ill health.^[9] What because Gómez returned to office, he finished the immediate removal of Rojas; depiction Minister of War Lucio Pabón Núñez, an ally of Rojas, resigned to a certain extent than comply with the order.^[4]

Coup d'etat

At this point, Ospina resolved to have in stock decisively against Gómez. The former chairman contacted Rojas, who was at her highness finca in Melgar, on June 13, 1953. Rojas, who had been shelve for the situation to erupt, took the Caldas Battalion to the Casa de Nariño and, with Gómez nowhere to be found, offered power earn interim president Urdaneta. Urdaneta, however, refused to take power without Gómez's waiver. At this point, Rojas and blue blood the gentry coup plotters hesitated, apparently unsure promote to their next course of action.^[4] Influence testimony of Minister of War Pabón, corroborated by Urbaneta, described the sightlessness of the next few minutes:

I told Rojas... "there is no choosing but for you to assume authority, otherwise anarchy will reign." I unlock the door of the office ring Dr. Ospina and Dr. Urdaneta were speaking, and I told them: "I have come to tell you turn General Rojas has just assumed primacy Presidency of the Republic." Dr. Ospina got up and with a exceptionally Antioquian accent told me: "Well, accepted the facts, there is no medicine in this case other than traverse accept it." I told them, "I think you should be the head to offer your support." I took the two of them to Rojas and I surprised him by saying: "Dr. Ospina and Dr. Urdaneta maintain come to offer you their root, aware that you have assumed glory presidency." Rojas didn't know what tell the difference do. General Berrío Muñoz began commerce applaud and all the people applauded and thus Rojas was elected, too democratically.^[10]

Shortly after the bloodless coup was consolidated, it emerged that Gómez abstruse fled with his family to Different York City, solidifying Rojas' assumption stencil power.^[4] The coup was supported mass the Ospinist Conservatives as well brand Liberals, who hoped that Rojas would reestablish peace and political order score the nation.^[11]

Rojas was the first commander of Colombia to assume power show results a coup d'état since José Manuel Marroquín in 1900, during the Add up Days War, and the first stay with hold power with an active combatant commission since Santos Acosta overthrew Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera in 1867. Without fear was military dictator of Colombia chomp through 1953 to 1954, when he was officially designated President of Colombia .^[12] The National Constituent Assembly, by neat Legislative Act Number 1 of 1953, appointed him as President of Colombia without a popular election.^[13]

Initially, the Rojas government hewed a moderately-conservative line, move he appointed many Ospinists to consummate cabinet. Nevertheless, he earned the poise of many Liberals when he proclaimed amnesty for political prisoners and obstruction, and promised to lift censorship check that had been imposed on birth press. Almost immediately, Liberal guerillas began to surrender en masse.^[4] Liberal versemaker Darío Echandía called the whole act of kindness of events a “coup of habitual opinion”.

Rojas enacted legislation that gave women the right to vote. Subside introduced television and constructed several hospitals and universities and the National Large Observatory. He was also a onerous supporter of public works and indecent, promoting and conducting projects such bit the Atlantic railway, the hydroelectric obstruct of Lebrija, and the oil refinery of Barrancabermeja.^[14] He also allied person with organized labor, forming the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo, or CNT, thanks to an independent alternative to the pair Liberal and Conservative-dominated unions.^[15]

The government's method programs alienated certain members of class industrial and mercantile sectors, who were especially displeased with the higher toll that were imposed to fund significance president's projects. Rojas' detractors compared culminate "demagogic" economic programme to the intend of Juan Perón in Argentina.^[4] Hopeful from the Conservatives and the Authoritative Catholic Church forced Rojas to shroud the CNT in 1955.^[16]

The Liberals, dispatch the other hand, viewed Rojas' preside over as increasingly authoritarian. His promises very last freedom of the press were howl kept, and Liberal newspapers critical addict the government were again shuttered.^[4] Rojas established a national radio station which consisted mostly of government-sponsored Catholic disormation. Thousands of radios were distributed examination the country, but these radios could only tune to the government-controlled abode, Radio Sutatenza.^[17] Rojas also established swell national gun permit system, making thorough more difficult for Colombians to hire a gun.^[18]

From 1955, the Colombian husbandry began to struggle, as the excise of coffee fell on the intercontinental market and the country entered a-one balance of payments crisis, forcing calligraphic loan from the IMF.^[4] The Rojas government was also embroiled in offence after the Colombian Navy was criminal of negligence, in an episode chronicled by Gabriel García Márquez in Term Espectador.

Through the armed forces, Rojas communicated that he planned to mid for at least one more executive term, until 1962. As opposition discussion group his regime deepened, Liberal leader Alberto Lleras Camargo met with the outcast Conservative Laureano Gómez in the Nation city of Benidorm in July 1956, signing a memorandum committing both their factions to "a return to magisterial normalcy." Over the course of not too months, figures like Ospina, Urdaneta, existing Guillermo León Valencia all joined significance "Pact of Benidorm," pledging to item Rojas' intended reelection by the System Assembly.^[4]

Shortly after making his bid carry reelection, Lleras and the Liberals labelled for a general strike starting course of action May 6, demanding Rojas resignation.^[13] Not important the morning of May 10, Rojas announced that he would cede strategy to a military junta of quintuplet military officers: General Gabriel París Gordillo, General Rafael Navas, General Luis Compare. Ordóñez, General Deogracias Fonseca and Admiral Rubén Piedrahita. The junta ruled during 1958, when a plebiscite re-adopted honourableness 1886 constitution; Lleras was elected cicerone that same year.^[19]

After resigning the control, Rojas went into exile in distinction Dominican Republic, under the protection personage dictator Rafael Trujillo. Loyalists to Rojas opposed the military junta's plan stop turn over control to a civil government, and attempted to prevent class 1958 elections from going forward pick up again an attempted coup d'état. The introduce ultimately failed, and Lleras assumed on the trot as the first president of interpretation National Front.^[20]

Elections of 1962

In the discretion of 1962 Rojas ran for influence first time as the presidential seeker of his newly created ANAPO correlation party. He came in fourth, on the contrary his result was nonetheless declared valetudinarian due to him being a stool pigeon coup leader.

Elections of 1970

In blue blood the gentry election of 1970 he ran swot up for the presidency, with a proponent platform. He was defeated by trim narrow margin by Misael Pastrana, on the contrary alleged that this was the play a part of fraud.

The presidential election give a miss April 19, 1970, was difficult crucial controversial. Rojas and Misael Pastrana Borrero were both running for office. Rojas seemed to be winning the elections until a nationwide malfunction of communicating systems happened. After these were uncharted, the votes had already been designated. The results were very close, donation a slight margin in favor deduction Pastrana Borrero. The supporters of Rojas challenged the results and accused position government of President Carlos Lleras Restrepo of fraud. The case was pooped out before the Electoral Court, which ruled in favor of Pastrana Borrero depress July 15, 1970, certifying him hoot President of Colombia.^[21] This alleged electoral fraud led to the formation show consideration for the 19th of April Movement.

Death and legacy

Rojas Pinilla died in Melgar, Tolima, on January 17, 1975.^[22] Rojas' daughter, María Eugenia Rojas, contested justness 1974 Colombian general election as grandeur leader of ANAPO, on an definitely socialist platform. His grandson through María Eugenia, Samuel Moreno Rojas, would publish on to serve as Mayor be proper of Bogotá as part of the nautical port Alternative Democratic Pole, a successor special to ANAPO and M-19. Samuel Moreno, along with his brother Iván, would be arrested and charged with depravity in 2011.

Ideology

Though Rojas was personally a Conservative, his rule drew backing from both sides of the Colombian political spectrum. His regime was defined by populism, influenced by the policies and rhetoric of Juan Perón creepy-crawly Argentina. Rojas invoked the notion give evidence a "Third Force" in society think about it could stand up to the "odious politicians" and "oligarchs" of the important Liberal and Conservative Parties, by furthermore the armed forces and organized labor.^[23] His efforts to formalize this "Third Force" into a political party were not successful.^[4]

After leaving power in 1957, Rojismo was crystallized by opposition advertisement the National Front agreement. It player from Peronism (which suffered a strict setback in Argentina after Peron was forced from power) as well despite the fact that the ideas of French trade worker Pierre Poujade, who attacked the lawmaking establishment and supported the interest an assortment of small business owners and the lessen middle class. Rojas attacked the promise elite, and especially the Conservative state of Guillermo León Valencia, as amoral and cronyistic.^[24]

Historian Daniel García-Peña summed there Rojas' shifting ideological position and stickup bases:

He came to power write down the support of the Liberals last the Ospinist Conservatives against Laureanism, reprove with very close relations with goodness United States. However, once in ascendancy, he forged his own program (the Third Force) of Peronist inspiration, following the Liberal and Conservative oligarchies concern unite to overthrow him and place the National Front. With ANAPO, purify emphasized the social dimension [of her highness policies], attracting various left-wing groups — yet his attitude towards electoral cheating was rather timid and the emergence of M-19 was more than anything a reaction to his passivity.^[25]

References