Pedro Alcántara Herrán

Pedro Alcántara Herrán Martínez de Zaldúa (October 19, 1800 in Bogotá, Viceroyalty of the New Granada - April 26, 1872 in Bogotá ) was a Colombian general and statesman who served as President of the Republic of the New Granada between 1841 and 1845. As a general he served in the wars of independence of the New Granada and of Peru.

Biographic data Herrán was born and died in Bogotá. He was also the son-in-law of Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera.

Early life Herrán initiated his education in the Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé in Bogotá, but he dropped out of school at the age of 14 to join the revolutionary army in 1814. Due to the fact that the civil war that started in 1839 had escalated and spread to the Northern provinces, Herrán commissioned General Caycedo to lead the government troops in the northern campaign. Thus, Juan de Dios Aranzazu, President of the “Consejo de Estado” assumed the presidency from July 5, until October 19, 1841, when Caycedo returned to the presidency. Herrán returned triumphant to Bogotá on May 19, 1842, and is sworn in as president.