Eustorgio Salgar

Eustorgio Salgar
10th President of the United States of Colombia
In office April 1, 1870 – April 1, 1872
Preceded by	Santos Gutiérrez
Succeeded by	Manuel Murillo Toro
Presiding Member of the Provisional Executive Ministry of the Colombia
In office February 9, 1863 – May 14, 1863 Serving with Santos Gutiérrez, José Hilario López, Froilan Largacha, Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera
Preceded by	Provisionary Office*
Succeeded by	Provisionary Office*
Vice President of the Rionegro Convention
In office February 4, 1863 – May 8, 1863
President	Francisco Javier Zaldúa
Constituency	Federal District
35th President of the Sovereign State of Cundinamarca
In office January 1, 1874 – December 31, 1875
Preceded by	Julio Barriga V.
Succeeded by	Jacobo Sánchez
21st President of the Sovereign State of Santander
In office October 1, 1868 – March 14, 1870
Preceded by	Narciso Cadena Uribe
Succeeded by	Narciso Cadena Uribe
16th President of the Sovereign State of Santander
In office August 11, 1861 – June 6, 1864
Preceded by	Pedro Quintero Jácome
Succeeded by	Rafael Otero Navarro
7th President of the Sovereign State of Santander
In office April 3, 1859 – November 23, 1859
Preceded by	Evaristo Azuero
Succeeded by	Ulpiano Valenzuela
Personal details
Born	Eustorgio Salgar Moreno (1831-11-01)November 1, 1831 Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Republic of New Granada
Died	November 25, 1885(1885-11-25) (aged 54) Bogotá, Cundinamarca, United States of Colombia
Nationality	Colombian
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Sinforosa Florez Mateus
Relations	Consuelo Salgar de Montejo
Alma mater	National University of Colombia
Occupation	Soldier (General), politician
Profession	Jurisprudence
This was a provisional office position. See the preceding executive office’s officeholder Francisco Javier Zaldúa, and the replacing executive office’s officeholder Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera.

Eustorgio Salgar Moreno Salazar (1 November 1831 – 25 November 1885) was a Colombian lawyer, general and political figure, who was president of the United States of Colombia from 1870 until 1872. Elected at age 39, he was the youngest president of Colombia.

Biographic data

Salgar was born in Bogotá, Cundinamarca, on November 1, 1831. He died in the same city, on November 25, 1885.

Presidential Canvas. Eustorgio Salgar. Private Collection Montejo Family.

Early life

Salgar attended what later became the National University of Colombia, where he studied jurisprudence. In 1851, at the age of 20, he obtained his law degree.

Political career

From 1853, he was the governor of the Garcia Rovira province and, when it was merged with Pamplona in 1855, he assumed the new role of governor of the newly combined province until 1858. During that year, Salgar was a member of the briefly lived Granadine Confederation's senate and a year later became governor of the Sovereign State of Santander.

Military career

In 1859, Salgar enlisted in the army of General Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera during the liberal uprising and the war against President Mariano Ospina Rodríguez. Salgar was captured in combat and tried for the insurgency. He was incarcerated until March 31, 1861, when General Mosquera took Bogotá.

Diplomatic career

Following his term as president, Salgar was appointed as ambassador to the United States of America until 1867.

The presidency

During the presidential election of 1870, the radical wing of the liberal party nominated Salgar as its candidate. The historical wing of the liberal party nominated General Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera. Salgar obtained the majority of the popular vote and was elected president for the two-years term. He was inaugurated on April 1, 1870. During his brief presidency, he founded and promoted the country's first railway company and the first corporation intended to provide social security.