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BOGOTAZO
With the assassination of Gaitan on April 9, 1948 tensions between the two parties escalated to physical confrontations. The followers of the popular Liberal leader started rioting against government forces and followers and vandalized the capital city Bogotá. Violence then spread to other regions of the country. Both parties then decided to reinstate the "Union Nacional", until the Liberal Party led by Carlos Lleras Restrepo retreated from the agreement in May 1949 to protest against Ospina's g -
Government of Rojas Pinilla
Most of the population celebrated the toppling of Gómez and initially supported the military dictatorship of Rojas Pinilla whose intention was to bring to an end the political violence generated by El Bogotazo and Jorge Eliecer Gaitan's assassination. Rojas Pinilla introduced an agrarian reform in an effort to solve the social disparities present in the countryside and appease armed peasantand . -
Resignation of General Rojas Pinilla
In this year , for a general strike , the general Rojas Pinilla resigned to the presidency of Colombia -
Military Junta
After Rojas abdication, a military junta assumes power for a period between May 10, 1957 and August 7, 1958. -
Declaration of Sitges
agreement in 1957 by the rival Colombian political leaders Alberto Lleras Camargo of the Liberals and Laureano Gómez of the Conservatives to form a coalition National Front government to replace the dictatorial regime of Gustavo Rojas Pinilla after a referendum. -
Pact of San Carlos
Both leaders agreed to allow the Colombian Congress to appoint the Conservative candidate to initiate the National Front. -
End of the Military Junta and Referendum
After Rojas abdication, a military junta assumes power for a period between May 10, 1957 and August 7, 1958. During this period on December 1, 1957 the referendum takes place in which the people of Colombia accepted the National Front. As a second phase of the plan on March 16, 1958, elections took place to elect the senate and lower house, and collegiate bodies for departments and municipalities to share equal power in the bureaucracy. -
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Presidency of Alberto Lleras Camargo
He guided the country toward economic recovery from the fiscal excesses of the dictatorship period. Setting a moderate course in socioeconomic policies, Lleras introduced an austerity program, drastically reduced imports, engaged in public works, and brought national planning to all areas of government. Emphasizing friendly ties with the United States, he was able to bring U.S. technical assistance to the country. -
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Presidency of Guillermo Leon Valencia
Valencia committed his administration to substantial economic and social reforms. In the economic front he created the Junta Monetaria (Federal Reserve), doubled the production of electric power and promoted oil drilling and the export of crude oil. In matters of social reform, his administration increased the national budget for education by 20%, and under the auspice of the government of the United States, launched the construction of Ciudad Kennedy, a project of 200,000 affordable homes . -
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Presidency of Carlos Lleras Restrepo
During his administration, the Colombian Institute for Agrarian Reform (INCORA) promoted the redistribution of usable land to the peasants and unemployed workers in the country, issuing more than 60,000 titles in 1968 and 1969 alone. Lleras implemented an aggressive and broad program of social and economic reforms and created the following agencies and institutions: the national savings fund (“Fondo Nacional del Ahorro”),ICBF,ICFES,ICCE,PROEXPO,COLCULTURA. -
The end of the National Front
Limitations were greater for those seeking the presidency that were not part of the party up next for the presidential turn. However, this did not impede some non aligned candidates to run for the presidency despite being declared null or illegal but tried to surpass the needed majority vote established by the National Front. in 1970 a suspected majority of the votes against the conservative candidate Misael Pastrana Borrero during the last National Front election on April 19, 1970. -
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Presidency of Misael Pastrana Borrero
During his four years in office, Pastrana was cautiously progressive. He sought to increase employment opportunities with a famous four-point strategy. He attempted to boost national savings as a way of moving away from dependency on foreign investment and credit, and he extended pensions rights for many people. At the same time, he was a champion of "a car for every Colombian family", and was instrumental in bringing the French car-makers Renault to Colombia.
