Background
José Santos Zelaya was born on 1 November 1853 in Managua.
politician president statesman
José Santos Zelaya was born on 1 November 1853 in Managua.
José Santos studied in France.
In 1859 Nicaragua had entered a period in which Conservatives from Granada succeeded one another in office every four years. The circle was broken when, after the death of Evaristo Caraza (1887-1889), Vice President Roberto Sacasa was unable to finish his term of office. A Conservative, General Francisco Gutiérrez, began the revolt, and Liberal forces led by General Santos Zelaya, supported Gutiérrez and drove Sacasa out of office. He was succeeded by Salvador Machado, another Conservative, but in July 1893, the Liberals staged their own revolt, and Zelaya became president.
Conservatives played a major role in organizing an uprising against Zelaya, but its nominal leader was the local governor, a Liberal and Zelaya appointee. General Juan José Estrada. Zelaya resigned on December 17, 1909. His departure began a period of Conservative dominance and U.S. armed intervention in Nicaragua.