Holguín, Jorge (1848–1928)

Jorge Holguín (b. 30 October 1848; d. 2 March 1928), Colombian statesman who twice served as acting president (1909 and 1921–1922). Born in Cali, Holguín was well connected socially and politically. He was a nephew of Manuel María Mallarino (1808–1872), who was president from 1855 to 1857, and the younger brother of Carlos Holguín, who served as chief executive from 1888 to 1892. His wife, Cecilia, was the daughter of Conservative paladin Julio Arboleda.

Like his kinsmen, Jorge became involved in Conservative politics, fighting in the revolution of 1876–1877 and serving as a party director in the 1880s. During the Conservative-dominated regeneration, he served in the senate and in the cabinets of Miguel Antonio Caro and Manuel A. Sanclemente. A long-time supporter of Rafael Reyes, Holguín was a member of the commission headed by Reyes that unsuccessfully sought redress from the United States after the secession of Panama in 1903. During Reyes's presidency, Holguín negotiated an agreement with foreign bondholders (1905) that revived Colombia's international credit. When Reyes was forced from power in mid-1909, he designated Holguín to serve as president until a successor was chosen. Holguín again served as chief executive upon the resignation of Marco Fidel Suárez in 1921.

See alsoPanama; Reyes, Rafael.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jorge Holguín, Desde cerca: Asuntos colombianos (1908).

Julio Holguín Arboleda, Mucho en serio y algo en broma (1959).

Additional Bibliography

Holguín Pardo, Arturo. "Un presidente caleño en medio de las guerras civiles: Don Jorge Holguín." Boletín de Historia y Antigüedades 73 (January-March 1986): 239-276.

Morales de Gómez, Teresa. "Recuerdos de don Jorge Holguín." Boletín de Historia y Antigüedades 86 (January-March 1999): 119-150.

                                         Helen Delpar