Belisario Porras Barahona

Belisario Porras Barahona ( born November 28, 1856 in Las Tablas, † August 28, 1942 in Panama City ) was a journalist, politician and several times President of Panama.

Life

Porras was born in Las Tablas, in central Panama, where he also received his early education. After his parents sent him to the Colegio San Bartolomé in Bogotá, which gave him the opportunity in 1874 to study at the University of Bogotá law. Thanks to a grant from the Colombian government, he was able to finish his studies in Belgium.

Back in Panama, he joined the Liberal Party and worked as a journalist. At this time, large parts of Panama were under Colombian administration and it came to differences between him and the government, he went into exile in Nicaragua and then to El Salvador where he taught as a professor of law and geography and continued to write for the local press. Also, he never lost touch with his friends in the Liberal Party in Panama. In 1900 he went back to Panama and became leader of the invasion of the occupied areas of Colombia. After initial successes, however, he failed in the liberation of Panama City. After his defeat, he went into exile and only returned after the liberation of Panama.

1904 Porras came back and worked in the next few years as a diplomat government. As a former liberation fighter he was extremely popular with the population of Central Panama. On October 1, 1912, he was the successor of Pablo Arosemena Alba sixth president of Panama, where he stayed for the entire term of office until October 1, 1916. His successor was Ramón Maximiliano Valdés, who was able to hold only about two years in office and was replaced by Ciro Luis Urriola, which was but replaced it after nearly 4 months by Pedro Antonio Díaz, who in turn even just a term of 12 days brought. On October 12, 1918 Porras again took over the office of president, and held it until 30 January 1920. During the rest of the term of office of Ernesto Lefevre Tisdel held the office. On 1 October 1920 Porras was the third time President and remained so during the whole term of office of 4 years. Was succeeded by Rodolfo Chiari.

In his terms as president himself Porras took care mainly to the consolidation and reorganization of the political institutions of the fledgling nation and installed a new constitution. Another major concern was to him the construction of transport links and the improvement of communication facilities and the construction of Chiriqui Railroad. Other priorities enjoyed the health facilities and the proliferation of sanitary facilities. He also founded the Santo Tomas public hospital, which was subsequently become one of the most important and prestigious clinics in Panama.

A macabre anecdote occurred in the last days of his life. Marked by illness, he asked to be admitted in the hospital founded by him, but was turned down because of bed shortages. Then he went to a private clinic where he few days later, on August 28, 1942, died.

Pictures of Belisario Porras Barahona

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