Enrique Olaya Herrera - Politics and Constitutional Reform

Politics and Constitutional Reform

Upon his return from Belgium, Olaya Herrera joined the cause against the government of General Rafael Reyes criticizing the treaties between the United States, Colombia and the loss of Panama. On March 13, 1909 Olaya Herrera publicly made a speech during a Liberal Party event in which he officially participated along with Nicolás Esguerra, José Vicente Concha and Miguel Abadía Méndez in a movement called "Trecemarcismo" from "13 de Marzo" (March the 13th). After President Reyes resignation on March 16, 1909 Olaya Herrera postulated himself for the Constituent Assembly and was later elected. He helped reform the Colombian Constitution of 1886 representing the Quesada Department. Among his party members participating were Rafael Uribe Uribe, Benjamín Herrera, Gabriel Vargas Santos, Nicolás Esguerra, Tomás O. Eastman, Carmelo Arango and Tomás Quevedo Álvarez. The conservatives had deputies Carlos E. Restrepo, José Vicente Concha, Pedro Nel Ospina, Guillermo Valencia, Emilio Forero, Hernando Holguín, Abel Carbonell, Pedro M. Carreño and Guillermo Quintero Calderón. Both sides concluded the constitutional reform and initiated a period of reconciliation, political tolerance and a sense of nationalism. Carlos Eugenio Restrepo assumed the presidency of Colombia from 1910 until 1914 sponsored by the Republican Party which Olaya Herrera supported.

President Restrepo appointed Olaya Herrera as the first Minister of Foreign Relations on August 7, 1910 until his resignation on November 23, 1911. During the administration of President Jorge Holguín, Olaya Herrera was appointed to the same office from 1921 until January 4, 1922 for who he also served as Minister of Agriculture. During the 1920s Olaya Herrera served also as a diplomat (mainly improving Colombian relations with the United States) and with the Colombian congress.