Juan Pablo Rojas Paúl (26 November 1826 – 22 July 1905) was the

president of Venezuela The president of Venezuela (), officially known as the president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (), is the executive head of state and head of government of Venezuela. The president leads the National Executive of the Venezuelan go ...

from 1888 to 1890. He was the first civilian president who was elected by constitutional procedures in 50 years, and the only one who could finish his term properly, until 74 years later.

Biography

He was the

Minister of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfolio ...

from 1879 to 1884 and in 1887. Rojas took over the

presidency A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified b ...

from

Hermógenes López Hermógenes López (19 April 1830, in Naguanagua, Naguanagua, Carabobo – 17 December 1898, in Valencia, Carabobo) was a Venezuelan soldier, farmer and acting President of Venezuela, president of his country between 1887 and 1888, after the resi ...

, who had served as an interim president after Antonio Guzmán (who was three times president) finally stepped down. Rojas tried to reconcile the followers of Guzmán and

Joaquín Crespo Joaquín Sinforiano de Jesús Crespo Torres (; 22 August 1841 – 16 April 1898) was a Venezuelan military officer and politician. A member of the Great Liberal Party of Venezuela, he served as the president of Venezuela from 1884 to 1886 and ag ...

, confronted at that time. During the Rojas administration there were violent demonstrations against Guzmán in the capital and other regions of Venezuela. These events precipitated a break of the Rojas administration with Guzmán, who sought to continue ruling indirectly from Paris. The Rojas administration had to face an uprising led by Crespo. After the rebellion was crushed, Crespo had to go into exile. Breaking with Guzmán's anti-clerical policy, Rojas brought French nuns to the country, helped the establishment of congregations, also built and remodeled many religious buildings. Rojas authorized the creation of science faculties, churches, national schools in

Maracaibo Maracaibo ( , ; ) is a city and municipality in northwestern Venezuela, on the western shore of the strait that connects Lake Maracaibo to the Gulf of Venezuela. It is the largest city in Venezuela and is List of cities in Venezuela by population ...

and

Barquisimeto Barquisimeto (; ) is a city in Venezuela. Barquisimeto is located in the Central-Western Region, Venezuela. It is the capital of the state of Lara (state), Lara and head of Iribarren Municipality. It is an important urban, industrial, commercial a ...

. He inaugurated the submarine cable between

La Guaira La Guaira () is the capital city of the Venezuelan Vargas (state), state of the same name (formerly named Vargas) and the country's main port, founded in 1577 as an outlet for nearby Caracas. The city hosts its own professional baseball team i ...

, the

Antilles The Antilles is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest, and the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east. The Antillean islands are divided into two smaller groupings: the Greater An ...

and Europe, the works of the painter

Martín Tovar y Tovar Martín Tovar y Tovar (10 February 1827 – 17 December 1902) was a Venezuelan painter, best known for his portraits and historical scenes. Biography Tovar was born and died in Caracas. His father, Antonio María Tovar (1791–1860), was a fo ...

at the ''Salón Elíptico'' (Elliptical Room) of the National Capitol. During his period, was published the book ''Great geographical, historical and statistics compilation of Venezuela'' authored by General Manuel Landaeta Rosales. In 1888 Rojas founded the National History Academy. His two years in the presidency were marked by an economic bonanza, of which he took advantage to invest in public works. After his presidency, he was again

in 1899. He died in

Caracas Caracas ( , ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas (CCS), is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the northern p ...

in 1905, at the age of 78.

Personal life

Juan Pablo Rojas Paúl was married to María Josefa de la Concepción Báez, who served as

First Lady of Venezuela First Lady of Venezuela (Spanish: ''Primera Dama de Venezuela'') is the unofficial title traditionally held by the wife of the president of Venezuela. List of first ladies Non-spouse first ladies See also * First Lady * Venezuela * List o ...

from 1888 until 1890. File:María Josefa Báez Reverón.jpg, María Josefa de la Concepción Báez

References

External links

"J.P. Rojas Paul (Biography in Spanish)
by

Edgar C. Otálvora Edgar C. Otálvora (born Edgar Omar Contreras Otálvora; 6 September 1959) is a Venezuelan intellectual, journalist and politician. He has held government and diplomatic positions. He is an expert in international politics and economics, and has ...

" {{DEFAULTSORT:Rojas Paul, Juan Pablo Politicians from Caracas Presidents of Venezuela Ministers of foreign affairs of Venezuela Finance ministers of Venezuela 19th-century Venezuelan lawyers 1826 births 1905 deaths Great Liberal Party of Venezuela politicians Venezuelan people of Spanish descent