José Santos Gutiérrez Prieto (October 24, 1820 - February 6, 1872), 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: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

of the

United States of Colombia The 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 nat ...

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, 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 Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city ...

, 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 is a Private school, private Catholic school, Catholic pre-school, primary, secondary school, and college-preparatory school, colonial of Plateresque style building, located in the Bogota, Santa Fe district of Bogotá, Cundinamarca Department, Cu ...

, 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 in 1854, in which he saved the life of General Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera. 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 Santander () is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, borders the Magdalena River to the east, Boya ...

), during the civil war against the administration of President Mariano Ospina Rodríguez. 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 Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera defeated the Constitutional Army of Colombia and after the presidential term of Mariano Ospina Rodríguez, on April 1, 1861, proclaimed himself as president. General Mosquera permits the Constitutional Congress or ''" Constitución 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