Francisco Javier Zaldúa
Encyclopedia
Francisco Javier Martínez de Zaldúa y Racines was a Colombian
, lawyer and politician, elected President of Colombia in 1882.
, Cundinamarca
, on December 3, 1811. He died in the same city, in the Government Palace, on December 21, 1882. He has been the only Colombian President to die while in office.
. When the Spanish “Pacificador”, General Pablo Morillo
, made his triumphant entry in Bogotá
,the Zaldúa family was attending the military parade. Zaldúa’s father was so offended and outraged, that he suffered a massive heart attack and died instantly.
Zaldúa studied jurisprudence and theology at the “Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé”, where he graduated with a double mayor and obtained diplomas in Law and Divinity.
President of the United States of Colombia for 6 days, when President Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera
ceded executive power to the Convention, and until the said convention elected a Council of Ministers
to serve collectively as the Colombian head of state
.
. In 1840 he was elected to the House of Representatives and, later to the Senate, both in representation of his native state of Cundinamarca
. He was also appointed as Minister of Government during the administration of President José Hilario López.
Zaldúa served as President of the Rionegro Convention, a constituent assembly
that created the United States of Colombia
, now the Republic of Colombia
.
was taking place. Zaldúa was a man of immense prestige and reputation and José María Rojas Garrido
nominated him as candidate for the presidency. The Colombian Liberal Party
, which had been divided for many years, united around his name.
Zaldúa was 71 years old by then. Former president Aquileo Parra
led the Convention’s commission that went to his home to request his acceptance. Zaldúa, in his acceptance speech said: “In the sunset of my life, I have nothing else to offer to the liberal party, but my last days. I hereby accept this nomination as my death sentence”. The conservative party abstained of participating in the contest, and Zaldúa, as only candidate, won the presidency election. He was inaugurated on April 1, 1882.
Colombian people
Colombian people are from a multiethnic Spanish speaking nation in South America called Colombia. Colombians are predominantly Roman Catholic and are a mixture of Europeans, Africans, and Amerindians.-Demography:...
, lawyer and politician, elected President of Colombia in 1882.
Biographic data
Zaldúa was born in BogotáBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Cundinamarca
Free and Independent State of Cundinamarca
The Free and Independent State of Cundinamarca was a rebel state in modern Colombia between 1810 and 1815 during the Patria Boba period at the beginning of the Latin American wars of independence...
, on December 3, 1811. He died in the same city, in the Government Palace, on December 21, 1882. He has been the only Colombian President to die while in office.
Early life
His father was don Manuel Maria Zaldúa, a prominent member of the Nueva Granada high society and a very wealthy man. He donated most of his fortune to the cause of independence and in particular to General Antonio NariñoAntonio Nariño
Antonio de la Santísima Concepción Nariño y Álvarez was an ideological Colombian precursor and one of the early political and military leaders of the independence movement in the New Granada - Early political activity :Nariño was born to an aristocratic family...
. When the Spanish “Pacificador”, General Pablo Morillo
Pablo Morillo
Pablo Morillo y Morillo, Count of Cartagena and Marquess of La Puerta, aka El Pacificador was a Spanish general....
, made his triumphant entry in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
,the Zaldúa family was attending the military parade. Zaldúa’s father was so offended and outraged, that he suffered a massive heart attack and died instantly.
Zaldúa studied jurisprudence and theology at the “Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé”, where he graduated with a double mayor and obtained diplomas in Law and Divinity.
Professional career
Zaldúa was a professor of Civil Law and Canonical Law between 1837 and 1866. He later entered the judicial branch where he advanced all the way to Justice of the Supreme Court. As President of this legislative body, Zaldúa became the de factoDe facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
President of the United States of Colombia for 6 days, when President Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera
Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera
Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera y Arboleda was a Colombian general and political figure. He was president of Colombia four times. The first time was as president of Republic of New Granada from 1845 to 1849. During the Colombian Civil War of 1860-1862 he led liberal forces in a civil war against...
ceded executive power to the Convention, and until the said convention elected a Council of Ministers
Council of Ministers of the Republic of Colombia
The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Colombia is part of the executive power, and according to the presidential orientation of the Colombian Constitution of 1991, it is a cabinet of advisors to the President of Colombia.-19th century:...
to serve collectively as the Colombian head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
.
Political career
Zaldúa initiated his political career by being elected to the City Council of BogotáBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
. In 1840 he was elected to the House of Representatives and, later to the Senate, both in representation of his native state of Cundinamarca
Cundinamarca Department (1824)
Cundinamarca Department was one the departments of Gran Colombia. It was part of the Centro District.- Provinces :* Bogotá Province. Capital: Bogotá. Cantones: Bogotá, Funza, Guaduas, Mesa, Tocaima, Ubaté y Zipaquirá....
. He was also appointed as Minister of Government during the administration of President José Hilario López.
Zaldúa served as President of the Rionegro Convention, a constituent assembly
Constituent assembly
A constituent assembly is a body composed for the purpose of drafting or adopting a constitution...
that created the United States of Colombia
United States of Colombia
The United States of Colombia was the name adopted in 1861 through the Rionegro Constitution for the nation which had been known as the Republic of New Granada since the dissolution of the federation of Gran Colombia in 1830-1831....
, now the Republic of Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
.
The Presidency
In 1881, the presidential campaign to succeed the conservative President Rafael NúñezRafael Núñez (politician)
Rafael Wenceslao Núñez Moledo was a Colombian author, lawyer, journalist and politician, who was elected President of Colombia in 1880 and in 1884. Rafael Núñez was born in Cartagena de Indias, on September 28, 1825. He died in Cartagena on September 18, 1894.-Early life:Little is known about the...
was taking place. Zaldúa was a man of immense prestige and reputation and José María Rojas Garrido
José María Rojas Garrido
José María Rojas Garrido was a Colombian Senator, and statesmen, who as the first Presidential Designate became Acting President of the United States of Colombia in 1866 during the absence of President elect Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera...
nominated him as candidate for the presidency. The Colombian Liberal Party
Colombian Liberal Party
The Colombian Liberal Party is a center-left party in Colombia that adheres to social democracy and social liberalism.The Party was founded in 1848 and, together with the Colombian Conservative Party, subsequently became one of the two main political forces in the country for over a century.After...
, which had been divided for many years, united around his name.
Zaldúa was 71 years old by then. Former president Aquileo Parra
Aquileo Parra
José Bonifacio Aquileo Elias Parra Gómez was a Colombian soldier, businessman and political figure. He was the president of Colombia between 1876 and 1878.- Biographic data :Aquileo Parra was born in Barichara, Santander, on May 12, 1825...
led the Convention’s commission that went to his home to request his acceptance. Zaldúa, in his acceptance speech said: “In the sunset of my life, I have nothing else to offer to the liberal party, but my last days. I hereby accept this nomination as my death sentence”. The conservative party abstained of participating in the contest, and Zaldúa, as only candidate, won the presidency election. He was inaugurated on April 1, 1882.