Rafael Nuez, the man who has been president of Colombia the most times – AL DIA News

Rafael Nuez is one of the most important characters in the history of Cartagena. So much so that the International Airport of the city is named after him, as well as one of the private universities and a neighborhood within the urban area.

Nez was born in Cartagena de Indias on September 28th, 1825, in the bosom of a wealthy family of the city, being the eldest of 3 children.

At the age of 15 he was accepted by General Francisco Carmona in the rebel troops to fight in the war of the Supremes. At the age of 18 he traveled with his father to Tumaco, where he remained for some months working. He studied at the University of Cartagena, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1843 and then started in journalism and founded the newspaper 'La Democracia'.

During his political career he held minor positions until he became Governor of the department of Bolivar in 1854. In 1858 he was in charge of the governorship of the Sovereign State of Panama for two months and then became Minister of Finance under the presidencies of Manuel Mara Mallarino, Toms Cipriano de Mosquera and Julin Trujillo Largacha.

Rafael Nez was president of the Republic in four different periods: 1880-1882, 1884-1886, 1886-1888 and 1892-1894, being his second presidential period the most outstanding, since as a result of a civil war unleashed by radicalism Nez pronounced his famous phrase: "The Constitution of 1863 has ceased to exist" and sought to create the constitution of 1886 that eliminated federalism creating the Republic of Colombia, in addition to naming God as "supreme source of all authority" and restricting the vote to a system of "electors", one per thousand inhabitants.

During his last term, he symbolically took office in Cartagena on September 21st, 1892, but decided to stay away from power, leaving his vice-president Miguel Antonio Caro in charge.

Nez died on September 18th, 1894, victim of a stroke at his home in El Cabrero in Cartagena. Upon hearing the news, tributes were paid to him throughout the country.

In addition to being a poet, journalist, writer and politician, Nez was also the author of the lyrics of Colombia's national anthem, officially adopted in October 1920.

Currently, the house where Rafael Nez lived with his second wife Soledad Romn and where the Constitution of 1886 was signed, has been transformed into a museum open to the public. The house maintains its Caribbean style wood construction and exhibits furniture and objects that belonged to Nez. In front of the house there is a statue in honor of this personage.

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Rafael Nuez, the man who has been president of Colombia the most times - AL DIA News