Pedro Nel Ospina
Encyclopedia
Pedro Nel Ospina Vázquez was a Colombia
n general
and political figure. He served as president of Colombia
between 1922 and 1926.
, on September 18, 1858. He was born in the Government Palace, as his father Mariano Ospina Rodríguez
was president of Colombia at the time. He died in Medellín
, on July 1, 1927.
. This institution was conceived strictly as a mining institute, modeled after the School of Mines of the University of California, Berkeley
, from which its first directors, Ospina and his brother Tulio Ospina were graduated. When the school began its second life after 1904, it also offered degrees in chemistry, civil, electrical, mining and mechanical engineering. As rectors of the school, echoing the themes of their father, they insistently preached the virtues of work, discipline and practicality.
, became highly successful in national politics, antioqueño engineers continued to nurture the self-image of the apolitical, economically practical, hardworking paisa. Since 1910, successful businessmen and engineers emerged from the business community of Medellín
, as did Ospina, who was a Berkeley-trained mining engineer and an industrial entrepreneur as well as a large-scale agriculturalist.
Ospina was a General of the Army during the civil war of the Thousand Days War
. In 1901 he was appointed as Minister of War by President José Manuel Marroquín
.
President Carlos Eugenio Restrepo
, in 1910, appointed Ospina as the Colombian Ambassador to the United States. Upon his return to the country, he was elected to congress and later as Governor of Antioquia.
In 1918, Ospina was elected as Governor of the province of Antioquia. Later, in 1920, during the government of President Marco Fidel Suárez
, Ospina was elected by congress as the nation’s vice president.
Ospina, as president of the republic between 1922 and 1926, secured the creation of a modern central bank, and in 1928 he created the Bogotá stock exchange. Banking and commerce expanded and became more organized.
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...
n general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and political figure. He served as president 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"...
between 1922 and 1926.
Biography
Ospina 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...
, on September 18, 1858. He was born in the Government Palace, as his father Mariano Ospina Rodríguez
Mariano Ospina Rodríguez
Mariano Ospina Rodríguez was a Colombian politician, journalist and lawyer, founder of the Colombian Conservative Party and later President of Colombia between 1857 and 1861 during the Granadine Confederation.- Biographic data :...
was president of Colombia at the time. He died in Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, on July 1, 1927.
Educator
Colombia’s first significant effort in mining engineering was brought about by the Escuela Nacional de Minas in the city of MedellínMedellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
. This institution was conceived strictly as a mining institute, modeled after the School of Mines of the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, from which its first directors, Ospina and his brother Tulio Ospina were graduated. When the school began its second life after 1904, it also offered degrees in chemistry, civil, electrical, mining and mechanical engineering. As rectors of the school, echoing the themes of their father, they insistently preached the virtues of work, discipline and practicality.
Engineer and entrepreneur
Antioqueño engineers thought of themselves primarily as industrial entrepreneurs rather than agents of state policy. Although some, such as Ospina and his nephew Mariano Ospina PérezMariano Ospina Pérez
Luis Mariano Ospina Pérez was a Colombian engineer and political figure, member of the Colombian Conservative Party. He served as President of Colombia between 1946 and 1950.- Biographic data :...
, became highly successful in national politics, antioqueño engineers continued to nurture the self-image of the apolitical, economically practical, hardworking paisa. Since 1910, successful businessmen and engineers emerged from the business community of Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, as did Ospina, who was a Berkeley-trained mining engineer and an industrial entrepreneur as well as a large-scale agriculturalist.
Politics
Ospina was elected MP to the Camara de Representantes (House of Representatives) in 1892 and 1894 for the province of Antioquia. During his first term he sponsored the bill to derogate the “Ley de los Caballos” and introduced a bill to enact the “freedom of speech”. During his second term he sponsored a bill to restructure the Banco Nacional (National Bank).Ospina was a General of the Army during the civil war of the Thousand Days War
Thousand Days War
The Thousand Days' War , was a civil armed conflict in the newly created Republic of Colombia, between the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and its radical factions. In 1899 the ruling conservatives were accused of maintaining power through fraudulent elections...
. In 1901 he was appointed as Minister of War by President José Manuel Marroquín
José Manuel Marroquín
Jose Manuel Marroquin Ricaurte was a Colombian political figure and President of Colombia.- Biographic data :José Manuel Marroquín was born in Bogotá, on August 6, 1827. He died in the same city on September 19, 1908.- Early life :...
.
President Carlos Eugenio Restrepo
Carlos Eugenio Restrepo
For the President of Colombia from 1966 to 1970, see Carlos Lleras RestrepoCarlos Eugenio Restrepo Restrepo was a Colombian lawyer, writer, and statesman, who was elected President of Colombia in 1910. During his administration he worked towards making political reconciliation among the...
, in 1910, appointed Ospina as the Colombian Ambassador to the United States. Upon his return to the country, he was elected to congress and later as Governor of Antioquia.
In 1918, Ospina was elected as Governor of the province of Antioquia. Later, in 1920, during the government of President Marco Fidel Suárez
Marco Fidel Suárez
Marco Fidel Suárez was a Colombian political figure. He served as president of Colombia from 1918 to 1921. He was born on April 23, 1855, in the town of Hatoviejo, Antioquia...
, Ospina was elected by congress as the nation’s vice president.
Presidency
In 1922, he was elected as Colombia's 36th president. During his administration, he organized the Departments of Education, Health and the Treasury. He created the Central Bank (Banco de la Republica) and greatly advanced critical public works, such as the main national highways and railways systems, dams and bridges, and the crude oil pipelines connecting the mayor oil-fields to the sea ports.Ospina, as president of the republic between 1922 and 1926, secured the creation of a modern central bank, and in 1928 he created the Bogotá stock exchange. Banking and commerce expanded and became more organized.
External links
- "Colombia elects Ospina President". New York Times. February 14. 1922.