Rulers: Colombia
States 1855-86
Note: Following a constitutional change (27 Feb 1855) the provinces of New Granada (as Colombia was called until 1861) gained the right to organize themselves as sovereign states, while remaining part of New Granada. With the creation of the Republic of Colombia (5 Aug 1886) the states were transformed into departments under the central government.
Antioquia
11 Jun 1856 Federal State of Antioquia created by federal legislation
Governors
31 Aug 1855 - 21 Jan 1862 Rafael María Giraldo Zuluaga (b. 1808 - d. 1862)
22 Jan 1862 - 15 Oct 1862 Marceliano Vélez Barreneche (b. 1832 - d. 1923)
15 Oct 1862 - 15 Dec 1862 Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera (b. 1798 - d. 1878)
(federal president in charge of the state executive)
16 Dec 1862 - 20 Apr 1863 Antonio Mendoza Camacho (b. 1803 - d. 1887)
Presidents
20 Apr 1863 - 4 Jan 1864 Pascual Bravo Echeverri (b. 1836 - d. 1864)
4 Jan 1864 - 5 Jan 1864 Tomás Uribe Santamaría (acting) (b. c.1815 - d. ...)
5 Jan 1864 - 10 Jan 1864 vacant
10 Jan 1864 - 7 Aug 1873 Pedro Justo Berrío Rojas (b. 1827 - d. 1875)
7 Aug 1873 - 21 Dec 1876 Recaredo de Villa y Piedrahita (b. 1826 - d. 1905)
22 Dec 1876 - 31 Dec 1876 Román de Hoyos (acting) (b. 1816 - d. 1898)
1 Jan 1877 - 6 Apr 1877 Silverio Arango Palacio (b. 1834 - d. 1912)
6 Apr 1877 - 10 Apr 1877 vacant
10 Apr 1877 - 31 Oct 1877 Manuel María Uribe Ángel (b. 1822 - d. 1904)
10 Apr 1877 - 31 Oct 1877 Julián Trujillo Largacha (b. 1828 - d. 1883)
(civil and military chief to 20 Aug 1877, then
provisional president)
1 Nov 1877 - 19 Dec 1877 Julián Trujillo Largacha (s.a.)
20 Dec 1877 - 13 Mar 1878 Daniel Aldana Manta (acting) (b. 1831 - d. 1911)
14 Mar 1878 - 19 Mar 1878 Alejandro Mejía Hinestroza (b. 1846 - d. 1909)
(acting)
20 Mar 1878 - 24 Jan 1880 Tomás Rengifo Ortiz (acting) (b. 1840 - d. 1883)
25 Jan 1880 - 1 Feb 1880 Pedro Restrepo Uribe (1st time) (b. 18... - d. 1923)
1 Feb 1880 - 13 Mar 1880 Jorge Isaacs (civil chief) (b. 1837 - d. 1895)
13 Mar 1880 - 31 Oct 1881 Pedro Restrepo Uribe (2nd time) (s.a.)
1 Nov 1881 - 11 Mar 1885 Luciano Restrepo Escobar (b. 1812 - d. 1885)
12 Mar 1885 - 21 Sep 1885 José María Campo Serrano (b. 1836 - d. 1915)
(civil and military chief)
21 Sep 1885 - 5 Aug 1886 Marceliano Vélez Barreneche (s.a.)
Bogotá
23 Jul 1861 city of Bogotá separated from Cundinamarca and transformed
into a federal district
23 Jul 1863 Bogotá reunited with Cundinamarca
7 Nov 1885 federal district recreated
Governors
23 Jul 1861 - 23 Nov 1861 Andrés Cerón
23 Nov 1861 - 24 May 1862 José María Rojas Garrido (b. 1824 - d. 1883)
24 May 1862 - Oct 1862 Medardo Rivas
Oct 1862 - Jun 1863 Miguel Gutiérrez Nieto
7 Nov 1885 - 2 Oct 1886 Jaime Córdoba (b. 1842 - d. 1920)
Bolívar
13 May 1857 Federal State of Bolívar created by federal legislation
Governors (later presidents)
1857 - 1859 Juan Antonio Calvo
1859 - 1860 Juan José Nieto (1st time) (acting)
1860 - 1862 Juan de la Espiella (acting)
1862 - 1864 Juan José Nieto (2nd time)
1864 - 1865 Ramón Santodomingo Vila (1st time) (b. 18... - d. 1908)
(acting)
1865 - 1867 Antonio González Carazo
1867 - 1870 Manuel Amador Fierro
1870 - 1872 Ramón Santodomingo Vila (2nd time) (s.a.)
1872 - 1873 Pedro Blanco
1873 García Manuel Ezequiel Corrales
(acting)
1873 - 1876 Eugenio Baena
1876 - 1877 Rafael Núñez (1st time) (b. 1825 - d. 1894)
1877 - 1878 Manuel González Carazo (acting)
1878 - 1879 Benjamin Noguera (1st time)
(acting)
1879 - 1880 Rafael Núñez (2nd time) (s.a.)
1880 - 1882 Benjamin Noguera (2nd time)
1882 - 1886 V. García
Boyacá
13 May 1857 Federal State of Boyacá created by federal legislation
Governors (later presidents)
1857 - 1858 Pedro Fernández Madrid
1858 - 1859 José Malo Blanco (acting)
1859 - 1861 David Torres (acting)
1861 - 1862 Santos Gutiérrez (b. 1820 - d. 1872)
1862 - 1863 Pedro Cortés Holguin
1863 - 1864 Cenon Solano (acting)
1864 - 1866 Sergio Camargo (b. 1832 - d. 1907)
1866 - 1868 Santos Acosta (b. 1828 - d. 1901)
1868 - 1870 Aníbal Correa
1870 - 1872 Felipe Pérez (b. 1832 - d. 1891)
1872 - 1874 Venancio Rueda
1874 - 1876 Eliseo Neira
1876 - 1878 José del C. Rodríguez
1878 - 1882 José Eusebio Otálora (b. 1828 - d. 1884)
1882 - 1884 Aristides Calderón
1884 - 1886 P.J. Sarmiento
Cauca
13 May 1857 Federal State of Cauca created by federal legislation
8 May 1860 independence declared
Governor
Jan 1858 - 15 Aug 1863 Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera (b. 1798 - d. 1878)
(acting to 15 Aug 1859)
Presidents
15 Aug 1863 - 15 Aug 1867 Eliseo Payán (1st time) (b. 1825 - d. 1895)
15 Aug 1867 - 15 Aug 1869 Julián Trujillo Largacha
(1st time) (b. 1828 - d. 1883)
15 Aug 1869 - 15 Aug 1871 Andrés Cerón Serrano (b. 1822 - d. 1879)
15 Aug 1871 - 1 Aug 1873 Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera (s.a.)
1 Aug 1873 - 1 Aug 1875 Julián Trujillo Largacha
(2nd time) (s.a.)
1 Aug 1875 - 1 Aug 1877 César Conto (b. 1836 - d. 1891)
1 Aug 1877 - 22 Apr 1879 Modesto Garcés Garcés (b. 1846/47 - d. 1906)
22 Apr 1879 - 1 Aug 1879 Eliseo Payán (2nd time) (s.a.)
(civil and military chief)
1 Aug 1879 - 1 Aug 1883 Ezequiel Hurtado (b. 1825 - d. 1890)
1 Aug 1883 - 5 Aug 1886 Eliseo Payán (3rd time) (s.a.)
Cundinamarca
13 May 1857 Federal State of Cundinamarca created by federal legislation
Governors
16 Sep 1857 - 9 Dec 1857 Joaquín París (b. 1795 - d. 1868)
9 Dec 1857 - 11 Mar 1858 José María Malo Blanco (1st time)
(acting)
11 Mar 1858 - 15 Mar 1858 Pastor Ospina Rodríguez (acting) (b. 1809 - d. ...)
1 Oct 1858 - 1859 José María Malo Blanco (2nd time)
(acting)
1859 Emigdio Briceño (acting) (b. 1814 - d. 1874)
1859 - 30 Oct 1859 José María Malo Blanco (3rd time)
(acting?)
30 Oct 1859 - 1859 Pedro Dávila Novoa (acting)
1859 - 1 Jan 1860 José Uldarico Leyva (1st time)
(acting)
1 Jan 1860 - Feb 1861 Pedro Gutiérrez Lee (b. ... - d. 1861)
Feb 1861 - 10 May 1861 José Uldarico Leyva (2nd time)
(acting)
10 May 1861 - 18 Jul 1861 José María Plata Soto (acting) (b. 1811 - d. 1861)
18 Jul 1861 - 1862 Justo Briceño (1st time) (acting?)
1862 Rafael Niño (acting)
1862 - 2 Jul 1863 Justo Briceño (2nd time) (acting?)
Presidents
2 Jul 1863 - 1863 Alejo Morales (1st time)
1863 Justo Briceño (1st time) (acting)
1863 Antonio de J. Rey (acting)
1863 - 31 Dec 1863 Alejo Morales (2nd time)
1 Jan 1864 - 18 Jan 1865 Santos Gutiérrez (b. 1820 - d. 1872)
22 Jan 1865 - 31 Dec 1865 Rafael Mendoza (acting)
1 Jan 1866 - 1867 Daniel Aldana Manta (1st time) (b. 1831 - d. 1911)
1867 Jesús Jiménez (acting)
1867 Francisco de Paula Matéus (acting)
1867 - 31 Dec 1867 Daniel Aldana Manta (2nd time) (s.a.)
1 Jan 1868 - 9 Oct 1868 Ignacio Gutiérrez Vergara (b. 1806 - d. 1877)
1868 - 1869 Rudecindo López (1st time)
(acting?)
1869 Luis Bernal (acting)
1869 Abelardo Aldana (acting)
1869 - 1870 Justo Briceño (2nd time)
(acting to 31 Dec 1869)
1870 - 15 Nov 1870 Cornelio Manrique (acting)
15 Nov 1870 - 1872 Julio Barriga V. (1st time) (b. 1843 - d. 1905)
1872 Octavio Salazar (acting)
1872 - 31 Dec 1873 Julio Barriga V. (2nd time) (s.a.)
1 Jan 1874 - 31 Dec 1875 Eustorgio Salgar (b. 1831 - d. 1885)
1 Jan 1876 - 31 Dec 1877 Jacobo Sánchez (b. 1824 - d. 1898)
1 Jan 1878 - 15 Jan 1879 Daniel Delgado
1879 Rudecindo López (2nd time)
(acting)
1879 - 1880 Daniel Aldana Manta (3rd time) (s.a.)
1880 - 1882 Wenceslao Ibáñez
1882 - 1886 Daniel Aldana Manta (4th time) (s.a.)
1886 José Segundo Peña (acting)
1886 Daniel Aldana Manta (5th time) (s.a.)
Magdalena
13 May 1857 Federal State of Magdalena created by federal legislation
Governors (later presidents)
1857 - 1858 José María Sojo
1858 - 1860 Eduardo Salazar
1860 - 1861 Pedro Consuegra
1861 - 1862 Francisco de Labarces (acting)
1862 - 1864 José María Luis Herrera (acting)
1864 - 1865 Joaquín Vengoechea
1865 - 1867 Tomás Abello (acting)
1867 - 1868 Joaquín Riascos (1st time) (b. 1833 - d. 1875)
(acting)
1868 José Ignacio Diaz Granados
(1st time) (acting)
1868 - 1869 Manuel Vengoechea
1869 - 1871 Manuel Abello
1871 - 1874 José María Campo Serrano
(1st time) (b. 1836 - d. 1915)
1874 - 1875 José Ignacio Diaz Granados
(2nd time)
1875 Joaquín Riascos (2nd time) (s.a.)
(acting)
1876 - 1878 Manuel Davila García (acting)
1878 - 1879 Luis Robles
1879 - 1884 José María Campo Serrano
(2nd time) (s.a.)
1884 - 1886 M.S. Ramón
Panamá
27 Feb 1855 Federal State of Panamá created by federal legislation
Governors
15 Jul 1855 - 3 Oct 1855 Justo Arosemena Quesada (b. 1817 - d. 1896)
(initially provisional head of state)
3 Oct 1855 - 1 Oct 1856 Francisco de Fábrega (acting) (b. 1815 - d. 1879)
1 Oct 1856 - 5 May 1858 Bartolomé Calvo (b. 1815 - d. 1889)
5 May 1858 - 1 Oct 1858 Ramón Gamboa (acting)
1 Oct 1858 - 2 Nov 1858 Rafael Núñez (acting) (b. 1825 - d. 1894)
2 Nov 1858 - 1 Oct 1860 José de Obaldía (b. 1806 - d. 1889)
1 Oct 1860 - 25 Jul 1862 Santiago de la Guardia y Arrue (b. 1829 - d. 1862)
25 Jul 1862 - Aug 1862 Manuel María Díaz (provisional)
Presidents
Aug 1862 - 18 Oct 1864 Peregrino Santacoloma (b. ... - d. 1890)
(acting from 1 Oct 1864)
18 Oct 1864 - 9 Mar 1865 José Leonardo Calancha (acting)
9 Mar 1865 - 1 Oct 1866 Gil Colunje (b. 1831 - d. 1899)
(provisional to 1 Jul 1865, then acting)
1 Oct 1866 - 13 Mar 1868 Vicente Olarte Galindo (b. ... - d. 1868)
14 Mar 1868 - 5 Jul 1868 Justo José Díaz (acting)
5 Jul 1868 - 29 Aug 1868 Fernando Ponce (provisional)
29 Aug 1868 - 1 Oct 1872 Buenaventura Correoso (1st time) (b. 1831 - d. 1911)
(acting to 1 Oct 1868)
1 Oct 1872 - 5 Apr 1873 Gabriel Neira (1st time) (acting)
5 Apr 1873 - 8 May 1873 Dámaso A. Cervera (1st time) (b. 1837 - d. 1898)
(acting)
8 May 1873 - 12 Nov 1873 Gabriel Neira (2nd time)
(acting to 1 Oct 1873, then provisional)
12 Nov 1873 - 1 Oct 1875 Gregorio Miró
1 Oct 1875 - 12 Oct 1875 Pablo Arosemena Alba (1st time) (b. 1836 - d. 1920)
12 Oct 1875 - 1 Jan 1878 Rafael Aizpuru (1st time)
(provisional to 1 Jan 1876)
1 Jan 1878 - 29 Dec 1878 Buenaventura Correoso (2nd time) (s.a.)
29 Dec 1878 - 7 Jun 1879 José Ricardo Casorla (1st time)
(acting)
7 Jun 1879 - 15 Jun 1879 Gerardo Ortega (1st time) (acting) (b. 1843 - d. 1925)
15 Jun 1879 - 17 Jun 1879 José Ricardo Casorla (2nd time)
(acting)
17 Jun 1879 - 1 Jan 1880 Gerardo Ortega (2nd time) (acting) (s.a.)
1 Jan 1880 - 2 Jul 1883 Dámaso A. Cervera (2nd time) (s.a.)
(acting)
2 Jul 1883 - 6 Jul 1883 Benjamín Ruiz (1st time) (acting) (b. 1852 - d. 1914)
6 Jul 1883 - 10 Jul 1883 Dámaso A. Cervera (3rd time) (s.a.)
(acting)
10 Jul 1883 - 13 Jul 1883 Benjamín Ruiz (2nd time) (acting) (s.a.)
13 Jul 1883 - 27 Nov 1884 Dámaso A. Cervera (4th time) (s.a.)
(acting)
27 Nov 1884 - 7 Jan 1885 José María Vives León (acting)
7 Jan 1885 - 16 Feb 1885 Ramón Santodomingo Vila (1st time) (b. 18... - d. 1908)
16 Feb 1885 - 26 Mar 1885 Pablo Arosemena Alba (2nd time) (s.a.)
(acting)
26 Mar 1885 - Apr 1885 Carlos A. Gónima
(civil and military chief)
Apr 1885 - 1 May 1885 Rafael Aizpuru (2nd time)
(civil and military chief)
1 May 1885 - 15 Feb 1886 Miguel Montoya
(civil and military chief)
15 Feb 1886 - 5 Jun 1886 Ramón Santodomingo Vila (2nd time) (s.a.)
5 Jun 1886 - 5 Aug 1886 Manuel Amador Guerrero (acting) (b. 1833 - d. 1909)
Santander
13 May 1857 Federal State of Santander created by federal legislation
Presidents
16 Oct 1857 - 23 Oct 1857 Estanislao Silva Calderón (acting) (b. 1822 - d. 1890)
23 Oct 1857 - 10 Jan 1859 Manuel Murillo Toro (b. 1816 - d. 1880)
10 Jan 1859 - 12 Mar 1859 Vicente Herrera (acting) (b. 1826 - d. 1859)
16 Mar 1859 - 1859 Ezequiel Canal
(provisional, set up by federal government)
18 Mar 1859 - 21 Mar 1859 Luis Flórez (acting)
21 Mar 1859 - 3 Apr 1859 Evaristo Azuero (acting)
3 Apr 1859 - 23 Nov 1859 Eustorgio Salgar (1st time) (b. 1831 - d. 1885)
(acting)
23 Nov 1859 - 1 Jan 1860 Ulpiano Valenzuela (acting)
1 Jan 1860 - 1 Feb 1860 Antonio María Pradilla (1st time) (b. 1822 - d. 1878)
(acting)
1 Feb 1860 - 29 Feb 1860 José María Villamizar Gallardo
(1st time) (acting) (b. 1832 - d. 1910)
29 Feb 1860 - 6 May 1860 Marco Antonio Estrada (1st time)
(acting)
6 May 1860 - 16 Aug 1860 Antonio María Pradilla (2nd time) (s.a.)
(acting)
16 Aug 1860 - 8 Sep 1860 federal intervention, state government suspended
8 Sep 1860 - 1861 Leonardo Canal González (b. 1822 - d. 1894)
(provisional, set up by federal government)
1861 Marco Antonio Estrada (2nd time)
(acting)
1861 - 11 Aug 1861 Pedro Quintero Jácome (acting) (b. ... - d. 1868)
11 Aug 1861 - 6 Jun 1864 Eustorgio Salgar (2nd time) (s.a.)
7 Jun 1864 - 11 Oct 1864 Rafael Otero Navarro (acting) (b. 1819 - d. 1879)
11 Oct 1864 - 1 Oct 1866 José María Villamizar Gallardo
(2nd time) (s.a.)
1 Oct 1866 - 24 Sep 1868 Victoriano de Diego Paredes (b. 1804 - d. 1893)
24 Sep 1868 - 1 Oct 1868 Narciso Cadena Uribe (1st time) (b. 1829 - d. 1884)
(acting)
1 Oct 1868 - 14 Mar 1870 Eustorgio Salgar (3rd time) (s.a.)
14 Mar 1870 - 30 Mar 1870 Narciso Cadena Uribe (2nd time) (s.a.)
(acting)
30 Mar 1870 - 1 Oct 1872 Solón Wilches (1st time)
(acting to 1 Oct 1870)
1 Oct 1872 - 15 Sep 1874 Narciso Cadena Uribe (3rd time) (s.a.)
15 Sep 1874 - 1 Oct 1874 Alejandro Gómez Santos (acting)
1 Oct 1874 - 16 May 1875 Germán Vargas Santos (acting)
16 May 1875 - 25 May 1876 Aquileo Parra (b. 1825 - d. 1900)
25 May 1876 - 1 Oct 1878 Marco Antonio Estrada (3rd time)
(acting to 1 Oct 1876)
1 Oct 1878 - 9 Sep 1884 Solón Wilches (2nd time)
9 Sep 1884 - 31 Dec 1885 Narciso González Lineros (acting) (b. 1823 - d. ...)
1 Jan 1886 - 5 Aug 1886 Antonio Roldán (b. 1833 - d. 1902)
(civil and military chief)
Tolima
20 Sep 1861 Federal State of Tolima created by federal legislation
(separated from Cundinamarca)
Governors
12 Apr 1861 - 4 May 1861 Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera (b. 1798 - d. 1878)
(federal president in charge of the state executive)
4 May 1861 - 1861 Ángel María Céspedes Buendía (b. 1814 - d. ...)
1861 - 1862 Rafael Buenaventura
Presidents
1862 Francisco Eustaquio Álvarez (b. 1827 - d. 1897)
1862 - 1863 José María Cuéllar Poveda
1863 - 1864 Eugenio Castilla (1st time)
1864 - 1865 José Hilario López (b. 1798 - d. 1869)
1865 Clímaco Iriarte Castro
1865 - 1866 Antonio María Forero
1866 Juan Nepomuceno Iregui (acting)
1866 - 1867 Mariano Guerra (acting)
*23May 1867 - 1867 Inocencio Leytón (acting)
1867 Nicolás Rocha Castilla (acting)
1867 Eugenio Castilla (2nd time)
(acting)
1867 - 9 Dec 1867 Antonio Dussán Manrique (acting) (b. ... - d. 1876)
9 Dec 1867 - 1870 Domingo Caycedo y Jurado (b. 1820 - d. 1900)
1870 - 1874 José Uldarico Leyva
1874 - 1876 Joaquín María Córdoba
1876 Antonio Basilio Cuervo y Urisarri (b. 1834 - d. 1893)
(acting)
1876 - 4 Sep 1876 Aníbal Galindo (provisional) (b. 1834 - d. 1901)
4 Sep 1876 - 1876 Gabriel Reyes-Patria Valderrama
(civil and military chief)
1876 - 1877 Trifón Azuero (acting)
1877 - 1878 Ignacio Manrique C. (1st time)
1878 - 1879 Benito Salas H.
1879 - 1880 Ignacio Manrique C. (2nd time)
1880 - 1882 Frutos Santos (acting)
1882 - 1884 Marcelo Barrios
1884 - Mar 1885 Gabriel González Gaitán
Mar 1885 - 5 Aug 1886 Manuel Casabianca (b. 1840 - d. 1901)
(civil and military chief)