José María Reina Barrios
General José María Reina Barrios (born December 24, 1854 in San Marcos , † February 8, 1898 in Guatemala City ) was President of Guatemala from 1892 to 1898 .
Life
José María Reina Barrios was a nephew of President Justo Rufino Barrios . He fled home when he was 14 and joined the revolutionary troops that his uncle and Miguel García Granados gathered in Chiapas to overthrow the Cerna government. Together with this troop he marched into Guatemala in 1871 . In the following years he held various military and political offices.
Presidency
In 1892 Reina was elected president by general election and took office on March 15 of that year. One of the most important measures of his government was the resumption of the construction of the railway connection between Guatemala City and the Caribbean coast, which had come to a standstill under his predecessor. In addition, his reign was characterized by brisk construction activity in the capital and the improvement of the infrastructure, especially of road, rail and telegraph connections throughout the country. On the other hand, however, it was marked by arrests, persecutions and spying. Reina was re-elected in 1897 , but the election was accompanied by massive repression.
attack
On February 8, 1898, Reina was shot while leaving a hotel in downtown Guatemala City by the German Oscar Zollinger, who had recently arrived from Costa Rica . Zollinger himself fell victim to a bullet shortly after the crime. Whether this came from a police officer who was chasing him or a mysterious third party is controversial. The background to the crime is also unclear. While one theory suspects the interior minister and successor of Reina, Manuel Estrada , behind the attack , according to another version Zollinger is said to have had a personal motive for revenge.
José María Reina Barrios was buried in the vaults of the Cathedral of Guatemala City.
literature
- Hector Gaitán A .: Los Presidentes de Guatemala. Artemis & Edinter, Guatemala 1992, ISBN 84-89452-25-3
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Manuel Lisandro Barillas Bercián |
Presidents of Guatemala March 15, 1892 - February 8, 1898 |
Manuel José Estrada Cabrera |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Reina Barrios, José María |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Guatemalan general and president |
| DATE OF BIRTH | December 24, 1854 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | San Marcos |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 8, 1898 |
| Place of death | Guatemala City |