José Santos Gutiérrez Prieto was a Colombian statesman and soldier, who became president of the Sovereign State of Boyacá, and later elected as

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

of the

United States of Colombia United States of Colombia () was the name adopted in 1863 by the for the Granadine Confederation, after years of civil war. Colombia became a federal state itself composed of nine "sovereign states.” It comprised the present-day nations ...

for the term of 1868-1870.Arismendi Posada, Ignacio; ''Gobernantes Colombianos''; trans. Colombian Presidents; Interprint Editors Ltd.; Italgraf; Segunda Edición; Page 85; Bogotá, Colombia; 1983

Biographic data

Gutiérrez was born in the town of

El Cocuy El Cocuy () is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Boyacá, part of the sub-region of the Gutiérrez Province. The national natural park El Cocuy National Park is nearby. Born in El Cocuy * Santos Gutiérrez José S ...

, Boyacá, on October 24, 1820. He died in

Bogotá Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city of Colombia, and one of the larges ...

, Cundinamarca, on February 6, 1872.Arismendi Posada, Ignacio; ''Gobernantes Colombianos''; trans. Colombian Presidents; Interprint Editors Ltd.; Italgraf; Segunda Edición; Page 88; Bogotá, Colombia; 1983

Early life

Gutiérrez’ family moved to

in order to provide him with adequate and high education. Gutiérrez completed his high school education in the Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé, where he later studied jurisprudence and obtained his lawyer degree.

Military career

In 1851, Gutiérrez entered the military academy and demonstrated an amazing talent and ability. His first action in combat was during the war against the administration of General

José María Melo José María Dionisio Melo y Ortiz (October 9, 1800 – June 1, 1860) was a Colombian general and political figure who fought in the South American wars of independence, and who rose to power and briefly held the presidency of Colombia in 1854. ...

in 1854, in which he saved the life of General

Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera Tomás Cipriano Ignacio María de Mosquera-Figueroa y Arboleda-Salazar (September 26, 1798 – October 7, 1878) was a Colombian general, political figure. He was president of Colombia four times. The first time was as president of Republic of N ...

. After his heroic performance in the battlefield he was ascended to the rank of General.Arismendi Posada, Ignacio; ''Gobernantes Colombianos''; trans. Colombian Presidents; Interprint Editors Ltd.; Italgraf; Segunda Edición; Page 86; Bogotá, Colombia; 1983 Later, in 1859, Gutiérrez leads the troops of General Mosquera in the province of Santander (today Department of Santander), during the civil war against the administration of President

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 1861Arismendi Posada, Ignacio; ''Gobernantes Colombianos''; trans. Colom ...

. In the battle of ''“La Concepción”'', on August 29, 1860, he is wounded in action while, once again, saving the life of General Mosquera.

Political career

After the civil war of 1859-1860, Gutiérrez is appointed, first, Governor of the province of Boyacá (1861-1862) and later, Governor of the province of Cundinamarca (1864-1865). The revolutionary army of General

defeated the Constitutional Army of Colombia and after the presidential term of

, on April 1, 1861, proclaimed himself as president. General Mosquera permits the Constitutional Congress or ''" Convención de Rionegro"'' to assemble, and General Gutiérrez participated in it as delegate on his own recognizance.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gutierrez Prieto, Jose Santos Presidents of Colombia Presidential Designates of Colombia 1820 births 1872 deaths Colombian Liberal Party politicians People from Boyacá Department