Gustavo Rojas Pinilla

Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
19th President of Colombia
In office 13 June 1953 (1953-06-13) – 10 May 1957 (1957-05-10)
Preceded by	Laureano Gómez
Succeeded by	Gabriel París (President of the Military Junta)
General Commander of the Military Forces
In office 31 May 1953 – 13 June 1953
President	Laureano Gómez
Preceded by	Régulo Gaitán
Succeeded by	Hernando Camilo Zuniga
Minister of Posts and Telegraphs
In office 3 December 1949 (1949-12-03) – 7 August 1950 (1950-08-07)
President	Mariano Ospina Pérez
Preceded by	José Vicente Dávila Tello
Succeeded by	José Tomás Angulo Lourido
Personal details
Born	(1900-03-12)12 March 1900 Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia
Died	17 January 1975(1975-01-17) (aged 74) Melgar, Tolima, Colombia[1]
Political party	National Popular Alliance
Spouse	Carola Correa Londoño (1930–1975)
Children	Gustavo Emilio Rojas Correa María Eugenia Rojas Correa Carlos Rojas Correa
Alma mater	José María Córdova Military School Tri-State Normal College (BCE, 1927)
Profession	Civil Engineer
Military service
Allegiance	Colombia
Branch/service	Army
Years of service	1920–1957
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Colombia-Peru War Korean War La Violencia

Gustavo Rojas Pinilla (12 March 1900 – 17 January 1975) was a Colombian army general, civil engineer and politician who ruled as 19th President of Colombia in a military dictatorship from June 1953 to May 1957.

Rojas Pinilla gained prominence as a colonel during La Violencia, the period of civil strife in Colombia during the late 1940s and early 1950s that saw infighting between the ruling Conservatives and Liberal guerillas, and was named to the cabinet of Conservative President Mariano Ospina Pérez. In 1953, he mounted a successful coup d'état against Ospina's successor as president, the extreme right-wing Laureano Gómez Castro, imposing martial law. Seeking to reduce political violence, he ruled the country as a military dictatorship, allying himself with trade unionists, implementing infrastructure programs, and extending female suffrage. He was forced to step down due to public pressure in 1957.

Rojas Pinilla founded the National Popular Alliance (ANAPO) in 1961 in opposition to the National Front, the power-sharing agreement which the Conservatives and Liberals had brokered after he had been deposed. He contested the 1970 presidential election but was defeated by the National Front candidate, Conservative lawyer Misael Pastrana Borrero. However, Rojas Pinilla and his supporters alleged that the election had been fraudulent and illegitimate; the results caused ANAPO supporters to form M-19 guerilla movement, which would contribute to the country's insurgency unrest in the second half of the 20th century.