Background
Enrique Olaya Herrera was born on 12 November 1881 into a prominent family in Guateque.
Enrique Olaya Herrera was born on 12 November 1881 into a prominent family in Guateque.
During the reformist Liberal administration of Alfonso López Michelson (1934-1938), Olaya assumed leadership of the moderate wing of the party. He served López briefly as minister of foreign relations and ambassador to the Vatican.
As president, Olaya was faced with severe economic problems resulting from the Great Depression. He moved cautiously. He carefully balanced the political interests of Liberals and Conservatives, while initiating limited social measures. He also established controls over the petroleum industry. Connections with North American financial circles made while he represented Colombia in Washington helped him in dealing with foreign creditors. He was, however, criticized by nationalists for concessions he made to U.S. oil interests.
Local Liberal attempts to assert political domination over Conservatives in Santander and Boyacá resulted in rural violence, which threatened to upset the delicate political balance that Olaya maintained. When a border conflict with Peru erupted, Olaya successfully used the opportunity to call for national peace and unity. Colombians were gratified when the League of Nations settled the dispute in Colombia’s favor.
He served on the Liberal side against the Conservatives in the Civil War of the Thousand Days (1899-1903), and later joined the opposition to the government of General Rafael Reyes.He played a leading role in the overthrow of Reyes in 1909.
Olaya was an early advocate of cooperation between the parties. He accepted the fact that the Liberals were a minority, but argued that they should have a role in the government. Despite his own party’s opposition, he accepted the post of minister in Washington during the Conservative administration of Pedro Nel Ospina (1922-1926) and served until 1929.
