José Manuel Marroquín

Jose Manuel Cayetano Marroquín Ricaurte (August 6, 1827 – September 19, 1908) was a Colombian political figure and the 44th President of Colombia.

Life José Manuel Marroquín was born in Bogotá, on August 6, 1827. Marroquín studied literature and philosophy at the Seminary of Bogotá.

Career Marroquín became a professor of literature and philosophy at the Colegio Mayor del Rosario, where he eventually was appointed as rector. Later, he was also co-founder of the Academia Colombiana de la Lengua along with Miguel Antonio Caro and José María Vergara. He was elected as the first rector of the academy.

In an effort to end the civil war, President Marroquín offered the liberals a truce and armistice on June 12, 1902. The liberals rejected his offer, and the war intensified. After three years of bloody battles the war came to an end. Three peace treaties were signed. The first one was the Treaty of Nerlandia, on October 24, 1902, which brought to an end the fighting in the provinces of Bolívar and Magdalena, signed by General Juan B. Tovar for the government and General Rafael Uribe Uribe as Commander in Chief of the insurrectionists.

The nation had not yet recovered from the tragic events and devastation of the civil war, when another crisis erupted. On November 3, 1903, Panama, sponsored and fueled by the interests of the United States declared its secession from Colombia. The provincial troops and civil leaders proclaimed the independence of the Panamanian State from the Colombian nation, aided and abetted by the military forces and diplomatic agents of President Theodore Roosevelt. As part of the conspiracy and within days, Roosevelt recognized the independence of Panama and, in a stern and illegitimate forewarning, stated that he would not allow the presence of Colombian troops in Panamanian territory. Behind this secession movement and action was the desire of Roosevelt's administration to build, operate and control an interoceanic canal.

The events leading to the separation of Panama from Colombia arise from the desires of business and strategic interests that wished to construct an interoceanic canal between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. The concept of such a canal through Panama dates to the early 16th century. The first attempt to construct the Panama Canal began in 1880 under Colombian control and French leadership. But this effort had failed and another project was being considered through Nicaragua. President Marroquín vehemently opposed such idea and pushed for plan to build the canal through Panama. Therefore, the administrations of Marroquín and Roosevelt signed the treaty Tomás Herrán-John Hay in January 1903. The treaty provided in part that the French company would transfer its construction rights to the US; the US would build, operate and exploit the canal for a period of 99 years and could extend it beyond that; Colombia would receive a down payment of $10 million US dollars and royalties of $250 thousand dollars every year until the end of the contract; and that the Colombian Congress would ratify the treaty within eight months. President Marroquín presented the treaty for Congress’ consideration and ratification. Colombian Congress rejected the treaty and Panama proclaimed its independence.