Gabriel París Gordillo (March 8, 1910 – March 21, 2008) was a Colombian military officer and political leader who ruled the country as the chairman of a military junta from May 1957 to August 1958, following the resignation of General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. París oversaw the regime's transition to electoral democracy after four years of military dictatorship, and turned over power to Alberto Lleras Camargo of the National Front.
Biographic data
General Gabriel París was born in Ibagué, Tolima, on March 8, 1910.
Early years
Gabriel París studied at the Colegio San Simón in Ibagué, Department of Tolima. After graduating París enlisted in the Colombian Army studying at the Gr. José María Córdova Academy in 1928 and becoming a lieutenant for the cavalry later on December 11, 1929 assigned to Grupo No. 1 Páez, unit in which he spent most of his career.
War with Peru
As a lieutenant, París participated in the Colombia-Peru War in 1933 at the línea Baraya-La Tagua war front. For being an excellent officer París was assigned a horse trainer at the ‘Gr. José María Córdova' Academy.
Promotions as officer
Gabriel París was promoted to Major in 1941 at the Colombia Superior School of War. In 1941 was later promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and was sent to study in Fort Leavenworth, United States. He was later assigned trainer at the Colombian Superior School of War and Chief of the Mounted and Veterinary. In 1949 was assigned commander of the Grupo N° 2 Rondón unit and in 1950, Chief of the Second Brigade, based in Barranquilla. He was later assigned commander of the Fourth Brigade, based in Medellín.
Under Rojas Pinillas rule
During the government of President Gustavo Rojas Pinilla, París was appointed to many public office posts.
General of the Army
París was promoted to Brigadier General on February 28, 1953 and assigned commander of the Colombian Army. On June 27 of this same year París was appointed alternative representative of Colombia in the disarmament commission of the UN Security Council acting as ambassador of Colombia to the United Nations.
Ministries
París was appointed Minister of Justice on February 9, 1954 and later on August 7 appointed as Minister of War. He also managed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs temporarily. París occupied the presidency of Colombia temporarily while General Rojas Pinilla visited Ecuador between July 30 and August 2 in 1955. On February 29, 1956 París was promoted to the rank of Major General.
Military Junta
Civil unrest and, political upheaval and public discontent had turned the country into chaos. Angry and violent street demonstrations and a general strike on May 10, 1957, brought down the government of General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. At the age of 47 years, General París was selected by General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla to precede the Military Junta set to replace himself. General París assumed the Presidency on May 10, 1957, along with two other Generals of the Army, Luis E. Ordóñez Castillo and Rafael Navas Pardo, a General from the National Police Deogracias Fonseca Espinosa and rear Admiral of the Colombian National Armada Rubén Piedrahíta Arango. General París was elected as Chairman of the Junta, and as such, became “Presidente de la República”.
The other four members of the Junta received the same title. The first decrees of the Junta were to restore peace and order, freedom of speech and association, freedom of the press, adherence to the Constitution and calling for a presidential election as soon as possible. In order to ease tensions, the Junta also appointed as Ministers of the presidential cabinet highly reputed members of both political parties.Gobernantes Colombianos, Ignacio Arismendi Posada, Interprint Editors Ltd., Italgraf, Segunda Edición, Page 228, Bogotá, Colombia, 1983 Besides restoring peace and order, the Junta’s main concern was the economy. The nation had a huge fiscal deficit, the trade deficit was exorbitant and the national debt had surpassed the $500 million dollars.