Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Jorge Eliécer Gaitán

Role / Field:

Influential Colombian politician and leader of the Liberal Party, known for Gaitanismo.

Born:

1902-01-26

Died:

1948-04-09

Century / Era:

1902s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Jorge Eliécer Gaitán Ayala (Spanish pronunciation: ['xoɾxe eʎ'eθeɾ gai'tan aʝala]; 23 January 1903 – 9 April 1948) was a Colombian politician and statesman who was the leader of the Liberal Party. A nationalist, he served as the mayor of Bogotá from 1936–37, the national Education Minister from 1940–41, and the Labor Minister from 1943–44. He was assassinated during his second presidential campaign in 1948, setting off the Bogotazo , and leading to the outbreak of a brutal ten-year civil war in Colombia known as La Violencia (1948–1958). His ideas, known as Gaitanismo, are considered a form of liberal socialism in Colombia.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Born in Bogotá to parents who were rank-and-file members of the Liberal Party, Gaitán and his family had a tenuous hold in the middle class. His birth date is given variously as 1898 and 1903. Gaitán was born in a house in Las Cruces, a neighborhood situated in the center of Bogotá, Colombia. The house has a plaque commemorating Gaitán as a legendary caudillo. Gaitán had a humble upbringing and he was exposed to poverty growing up in a neighborhood in the center of Bogotá called Egipto.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Though he lived under these circumstances, he...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abe Saperstein — Contemporary (Born in 1902) (1902): Founder of the Harlem Globetrotters, revolutionized black basketball.
• Albert Anastasia — Contemporary (Born in 1902) (1902): Italian-American mob boss, co-founder of Murder, Inc., and boss of the Gambino crime family.
• Albert Namatjira — Contemporary (Born in 1902) (1902): Pioneering Arrernte painter, famous for Western-influenced watercolour depictions of the Australian outback.
• Abby Aldrich Rockefeller — Contemporary (Died in 1948) (1948): American socialite and influential philanthropist, key patron of modern art.
• Abdullah Öcalan — Contemporary (Born in 1948) (1948): Founder of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and advocate for Kurdish rights.
• Abdulrazak Gurnah — Contemporary (Born in 1948) (1948): Acclaimed Tanzanian novelist and Nobel laureate exploring themes of colonialism and refuge.
• A. E. van Vogt — Shared historical date (01-26 · Died) (2000): Influential Canadian-American science fiction writer known for bizarre narratives.
• Akio Morita — Shared historical date (01-26 · Born) (1921): Visionary Japanese entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony.
• Andrea Dworkin — Shared historical date (04-09 · Died) (2005): Radical feminist writer and activist known for analyzing pornography and patriarchal violence.
• Benedetto Castelli — Shared historical date (04-09 · Died) (1643): Italian mathematician known for his association with Galileo and his work in hydraulics.
• 1902 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1902
• January 26 (01-26) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 26
• 1948 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1948
• April 9 (04-09) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on April 9

Frequently Asked Questions about Jorge Eliécer Gaitán