Rafael Núñez (politician)

Rafael Wenceslao Núñez Moledo ( born September 28, 1825 Cartagena, † 18 September 1894 in Cartagena) was President of Colombia from 1880 to 1882 and from 1884 to 1887 He is considered the father of the Colombian Constitution of 1886 and wrote the text of the current Colombian. national anthem.

Early years

About childhood, adolescence, early career of Rafael Núñez little has survived. It is known that he in 1848 at the Judicial District of Chiriquí, in the then province of Panama belonging to Colombia performed the duties of a judge. Later in the same year he founded the newspaper La Democracia in Cartagena to support the presidential candidacy General José María Obandos as the successor of José Hilario López. Also in the same year was appointed secretary of the government of Cartagena, boosting his political career began.

In 1853 he was first elected to Congress, and later Governor of the department of Bolívar. Between 1855 and 1857, during the reign of Manuel María Mallarino, he was finance and minister of war.

In 1855 he published a first collection of political essays entitled La Federación. Later, during the reign of Mosquera, he served as Minister of Finance.

After he had the interests of Colombia represented at the negotiations on the Rio Negro contract, he traveled abroad. At first, he lived for two years in New York City on which he represented Colombia in Le Havre and was eventually consul in Liverpool.

1874, while he was in Europe, many of his most important writings have been published.

Political career in Bogota

In 1876 he returned to Columbia, in the center of a political dispute. Early as 1875 had been chosen as presidential candidate, but he managed not to be actually chosen him. Five years later, however, from 1880 to 1882 he provided the first president. Soon after, in 1884, he was re- elected president with the support of the Conservative Party.

The constitutional reform of 1886, which he carried out in collaboration with Miguel Antonio Caro presents his most important political power dar. This constitution was, with some later amendments, was essentially in force until 1991, a new constitution was proclaimed.

From 1878 to 1888 he wrote hundreds of influential articles on constitutional reform for appearing in Bogota newspapers La Luz and La Nación, and for appearing in Cartagena newspapers El Porvenir and El Impulso. He also wrote the lyrics of the Colombian national anthem.

He was re- elected President in 1886, and finally retired in 1888 from active politics. He sat down to rest in Cartagena, where he died in 1894.