Colombian Military Junta

Colombian transitional government (1957 1958)

The Colombian Military Junta was a Colombian transitional government established between 1957 and 1958, replacing President Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. The junta's members were:
General Gabriel París Gordillo
General Deogracias Fonseca Espinosa
Vice Admiral Rubén Piedrahíta Arango
Brigadier General Rafael Navas Pardo
Brigadier General Luis Ernesto Ordóñez Castillo

When Rojas came to power in 1953 he had deposed Laureano Gómez and carried the promise of ending civil war in Colombia and resolving political conflict between the two political parties, the Liberals and the Conservatives. While both parties mainly represented only the wealthiest 5 percent of the population, who held most of the power, the conflict between the two was the source of much of the violence in Colombia. Both parties were behind Rojas as he came to power as a savior for the country. After serving out the former president's term, he convinced the National Constituent Assembly to suspend the constitution and elect him for another term to last until 1958. Over the next four years Rojas’ popularity dwindled as he began to censor the press and enriched himself and those close to him at the expense of the national economy. By 1957, despite the rising price of coffee (Colombia's main export), Colombia's foreign debt had risen to $350,000,000. Meanwhile, Rojas was also dropping bombs and napalm on his own country in an attempt to fight guerrillas. He was not close to establishing the peace that he had promised in 1953. A year after the overthrowing of President Gustavo Rojas, the ruling junta held free elections for the National Constituent Assembly and Presidency to restore Colombia to civilian rule.