José María Melo
Encyclopedia
José María Dionisio Melo y Ortiz (October 9, 1800 – June 1, 1860) was a Colombian
general and politician of Pijao
ancestry, who fought in the South American wars of independence
, and who in 1854 rose to power and held the presidency of Colombia
. In August, 1850, artisans demanded protection and the creation of a national workshop supported by the Government. General José María Melo assumed power in 1854 with the support of members of the Sociedad Democrática, a coalition of artisans and liberals who did not think that democracy and dictatorship were incompatible. But after Melo was militarily defeated that same year, soldiers and artisans were severely repressed. (Source: Lucía Sala de Touron, “Democracia en America Latina: liberales, radicales y artesanos a mediados del siglo XIX,” Secuencia 61(2005), 63.)
José María Melo also served as general of cavalry in Mexico
during the War of the Reform in 1860.
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:...
general and politician of Pijao
Pijao
The Pijao are an indigenous people of Colombia.-Ethnography:The Pijao or Pijaos were a loose federation of Amerindians living in the region of Tolima -Colombia and other territories...
ancestry, who fought in the South American wars of independence
South American Wars of Independence
The Latin American Wars of Independence were the various revolutions that took place during the late 18th and early 19th centuries and resulted in the creation of a number of independent countries in Latin America. These revolutions followed the American and French Revolutions, which had profound...
, and who in 1854 rose to power and held the presidency of Colombia
President of Colombia
The President of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la Gran Colombia"...
. In August, 1850, artisans demanded protection and the creation of a national workshop supported by the Government. General José María Melo assumed power in 1854 with the support of members of the Sociedad Democrática, a coalition of artisans and liberals who did not think that democracy and dictatorship were incompatible. But after Melo was militarily defeated that same year, soldiers and artisans were severely repressed. (Source: Lucía Sala de Touron, “Democracia en America Latina: liberales, radicales y artesanos a mediados del siglo XIX,” Secuencia 61(2005), 63.)
José María Melo also served as general of cavalry in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
during the War of the Reform in 1860.