José María Reyna Barrios (24 December 1854 – 8 February 1898) was
President of Guatemala
The president of Guatemala ( es, Presidente de Guatemala), officially known as the President of the Republic of Guatemala ( es, Presidente de la República de Guatemala), is the head of state and head of government of Guatemala, elected to a s ...
from 15 March 1892 until his death on 8 February 1898. He was born in
San Marcos, Guatemala
San Marcos (elevation: 7,868 feet (2,398 meters) is a city and municipality in Guatemala. It is the capital of the department of San Marcos.
The municipality has a population of 47,063 (2018 census).
History
1897 Quetzaltenango Revolt
...
and was nicknamed ''Reynita'', the diminutive form, because of his short stature.
He was a moderate of
Guatemala's Liberal Party, who worked to solidify the less controversial of the reforms of late president
Justo Rufino Barrios
Justo Rufino Barrios Auyón (19 July 1835 – 2 April 1885) was a Guatemalan politician and military general who served as President of Guatemala from 1873 to his death in 1885. He was known for his liberal reforms and his attempts to reuni ...
.
Political life
Reyna Barrios was nephew of Justo Rufino Barrios, and as such he started his political career while his uncle was still President of Guatemala. After Barrios
sudden death in Chalchuapa,
El Salvador on April 2. 1885, Reyna Barrios increased his political activity under the government of
Manuel Lisandro Barillas, who was jealous of his popularity and sent him to Europe under false pretenses that there was a diplomatic appointment for him. The appointment never materialized and Reina Barrios was stuck in Europe and then in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
for a few years.
1892 Presidential elections
Reyna Barrios finally made it back to Guatemala, in time to run for office in the 1892 presidential elections. It was the first election in Guatemala that allowed the candidates to advertise in the local newspapers. The candidates who ran for office were:
Barillas Bercian was unique among all liberal presidents of Guatemala between 1871 and 1944: he handed over power to his successor peacefully. When election time approached, he sent for the three Liberal candidates to ask them what their government plan would be. The following anecdote recounts better what happened then:
First arrived lawyer Francisco Lainfiesta, and General Barillas, with the friendliest of smiles, said: "Mr. Lainfiesta: you are one of the candidates in the upcoming elections and perhaps the more likely to win. Therefore, I would like to know what your attitude and your political system of government will be, if you get to win. Especially, I would like to know your attitude about my person; because I have made my mistakes, I do not deny it. I was a simple worker at my carpentry when General
Justo Rufino Barrios
Justo Rufino Barrios Auyón (19 July 1835 – 2 April 1885) was a Guatemalan politician and military general who served as President of Guatemala from 1873 to his death in 1885. He was known for his liberal reforms and his attempts to reuni ...
sent for me to be appointed second presidential designate. I would therefore, Mr. Lainfiesta, know what conduct you will observe towards me." Mr. Lainfiesta said: "''General Barillas: if luck would favor me with the election victory, my government will be based on strict adherence to the Constitution; the law would be the law and anyone who has acquired some responsibility, will have to answer for it before the relevant courts. A firm and righteous compliance with the constitutional provisions shall be the standard of my conduct as president''". "''Very well''" said general Barillas, and both parted cordially.
Barillas then brought in Dr. Montúfar and interrogated him in the same or similar way as he had done Mr. Lainfiesta. Dr. Montúfar responded in similar terms as Lainfiesta, stressing his claims to obedience of the Constitution and strict enforcement.
Finally general
Reyna Barrios came in; when in the midst of pleasant conversation, General Barillas repeated his question, and Reyna replied, with a sincere smile: "''We should not even talk about that, general; because you and I are the same. Rest assured that I will know how to respect and protect you.''" And then both shook hands with effusion. By the election period, the first two days of voting favored Lainfiesta. But by the third day, a huge column of Quetzaltenango and Totonicapán Indigenous people came down from the mountains to vote for general Reyna Barrios. The official agents did their job: Reyna was elected president and, not to offend the losing candidates, Barillas gave them checks to cover the costs of their presidential campaigns. Reyna Barrios, of course, received nothing, but he went on to become President on March 15, 1892.
Government
During Barrrios's first term in office, the power of the landowners over the rural peasantry increased. He oversaw the rebuilding of parts of
Guatemala City
Guatemala City ( es, Ciudad de Guatemala), known locally as Guatemala or Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, ne ...
on a grander scale, with wide, Parisian style avenues built. He oversaw Guatemala hosting the first "Exposición Centroamericana" ("Central American Fair") in 1897. During his second term, Barrios printed bonds to fund his ambitious plans, fuelling
monetary inflation and the rise of popular opposition to his regime.
Infrastructure
As part of the efforts for the
Central American Expo, his government embellished the city with avenues and monuments following Parisian style and built the
Northern Railroad of Guatemala
The Northern Railroad of Guatemala was a railway system that ran from Guatemala City to Puerto Barrios, the main port of Guatemala, between 1896 and 1968. The American United Fruit Company had the monopoly of the railway system through its affilia ...
. Due to the
1917-1918 earthquakes most of these structures were lost.
His administration also work on improving the roads, installing national and international telegraphs and introducing electricity to Guatemala City. Completing a transoceanic railway was a main objective of his government, with a goal to attract international investors at a time when the
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a condui ...
was not built yet.
Death
José María Reina was assassinated on 8 February 1898 in
Guatemala City
Guatemala City ( es, Ciudad de Guatemala), known locally as Guatemala or Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, ne ...
,
by Edgar Zollinger, a British citizen and administrator of the Aparicio Family business. Zollinger took revenge since back on September 13 1897 Reina Barrios had Juan Aparicio killed in an unlawful manner. Aparicio was the former Mayor of Quetzaltenango. His assets included the Zunil Electrical Plant, The Los Altos Railroad, Coffee Plantations and Local Bank. These businesses where appropriated illegally, leaving the Aparicio family in ruins for decades. The population mourned the death of Aparicio as he was loved for helping and aiding others. Reina Barrios lived his last moments as a criminal. His actions caused irreversible damage to Guatemalan infrastructure.
See also
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Exposición Centroamericana
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History of Guatemala
The history of Guatemala begins with the Maya civilization (300 BC – 250 AD), which was among those that flourished in their country. The country's modern history began with the Spanish conquest of Guatemala in 1524. Most of the great ...
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Northern Railroad of Guatemala
The Northern Railroad of Guatemala was a railway system that ran from Guatemala City to Puerto Barrios, the main port of Guatemala, between 1896 and 1968. The American United Fruit Company had the monopoly of the railway system through its affilia ...
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Manuel Estrada Cabrera
Manuel José Estrada Cabrera (21 November 1857 – 24 September 1924) was the President of Guatemala from 1898 to 1920. A lawyer with no military background, he was a strong ruler (dictator) who modernised the country's industry and transportat ...
Notes and references
Notes
References
Bibliography
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Reina Barrios, Jose Maria
Presidents of Guatemala
Assassinated Guatemalan politicians
Assassinated heads of state
1854 births
1898 deaths
People from San Marcos Department
People murdered in Guatemala
Assassinated heads of government
Liberal Party (Guatemala) politicians
19th-century Guatemalan people
Manuel Estrada Cabrera