Darío Echandía

Darío Echandía Olaya (October 13, 1897 – May 7, 1989) was a lawyer and a Colombian political figure, a member of the Colombian Liberal Party. He was born on October 13, 1897, in Chaparral, Tolima, son of Vincente Enchandia and Carlota Olaya de E. The elder of seven brothers, he was educated at Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senora del Rosario and Colegio de Araujo (Bogota) receiving degrees of Attorney and Doctor in Law, 1917. He married Emilia Arciniegas, August 2, 1936. He died on May 7, 1989, in Ibagué, Tolima.

During his lifetime, Darío Echandía served as deputy for Tolima, senator for Tolima, president of the senate, magistrate in the Supreme Court of Justice, and in the ministries of Government, Education, Justice and Foreign Relations. He was also the Colombian ambassador to London and to the Holy See.

Darío Echandía was designated as acting president of Colombia on four occasions: From 1943 to 1944 due to the temporary absence of Alfonso López Pumarejo, in 1944 due to a kidnapping attempt against Pumarejo, briefly in 1960, and briefly in 1967.

The Darío Echandía Library (Biblioteca Darío Echandía) in Ibagué was inaugurated in 1984 in his honor.