Background
Miguel Antonio Caro was born in Bogota on 10 November 1843, the son of José Eusebio Caro, Colombia’s famed romantic poet, and was strongly influenced by the staunch conservatism of his father.
Miguel Antonio Caro was born in Bogota on 10 November 1843, the son of José Eusebio Caro, Colombia’s famed romantic poet, and was strongly influenced by the staunch conservatism of his father.
His education in the rigorous Jesuit tradition undoubtedly contributed to the making of his rigid character and political views.
While in his early twenties, Caro became a firm upholder in the Conservative press of the traditional values of hierarchy, order, and authority. He directed the newspaper El Tradicionalista in the early and mid-1870s, and advocated the establishment of a strong, centralized state governed by conservative Catholic political principles.
Caro was elected vice president in 1892, at the beginning of what would be the final administration of Rafael Núñez Muledo. Since Núñez chose not to rule directly, Caro exercised executive power in Núñez’ absence. The situation encouraged Núñez’ political opponents within the Conservative Party. When the Liberals, excluded from political power, increased their vocal opposition to the government, Caro reacted with repressive measures, closing several Liberal newspapers and imprisoning and exiling opposition leaders. Early in 1895 the Liberals rebelled. Although this uprising was crushed and the Conservative division temporarily overcome, Caro maintained the armed forces at a high level owing to what he called “the danger to which society is exposed.’ His continuing political intransigence and the strain on the national budget contributed to the unstable political atmosphere that culminated in the War of the Thousand Days (1899-1902).
In addition to the Constitution of 1886, Caro's most notable contribution to the national culture was in the field of letters. In 1870 he was one of the founding members of the Colombian Academy. Later, his contributions to the study of the Spanish language were rewarded with election to the Royal Spanish Academy.