The War of a Thousand Days 1899-1902

The Liberal Party in Colombia represented coffee plantation owners and import-export merchants who favored a laissez-faire economic policy. They were largely excluded from participation in government since a Conservative victory of 1885. In 1898 Nationalist candidate Manuel Antonio Sanclemente was elected president. In ill health, Sanclemente left much of the governing to his vice president, José Manuel Marroquín. The Sanclemente/Marroquín presidency faced increasing problems as the world price of coffee fell, which, because of reduced customs revenues, left the government bankrupt. The fiscal policy of issuing nonredeemable paper money, which had earlier replaced the gold standard under Núñez, added to the increasing lack of confidence in the government. In 1899 many coffee growers were operating at a loss.

By July 1899, in Santander, Liberals again planned a revolution, now known as the War of a Thousand Days. Historical Conservatives eventually cast their allegiance with the Nationalists, whereas the Peace and War factions of the Liberal Party (PL) remained split, thereby weakening the rebellion. War broke out in the coffee-growing regions in 1899. Despite an initial victory in December 1899, the Liberal forces were outnumbered at Palonegro five months later. The first phase of the war, lasting about seven months, ended with the defeat of Liberal forces at Palonegro on May 25, 1900. The defeat left the Liberal army decimated and demoralized and with little chance to succeed.

After the defeat at Palonegro, the Liberal army changed its strategy from conventional tactics to guerrilla warfare. In July 1900, Historical Conservatives, seeking a political solution to the war, supported Marroquín in a coup against Sanclemente. Contrary to what his supporters had expected, Marroquín adopted a hard line against the rebels and refused to negotiate a settlement. During the next two and a half years disorganized but highly disruptive guerrilla-style warfare raged in the rural areas, with great destruction of property and loss of life both in combat and from disease.

Unable to pacify the countryside through military tactics, imprisonment, fines, and expropriation of property, the Conservatives offered amnesty and political reform on June 12, 1902. In November 1902, the defeated Liberal army negotiated a peace agreement with the government. The two most important Liberal leaders, Rafael Uribe Uribe and Benjamín Herrera, surrendered after negotiating peace treaties promising amnesty, free elections, and political and monetary reform.

The Colombian civil war between Liberals and Conservatives resulted in between 60,000 and 130,000 deaths (likely more than 100,000 lives were lost), extensive property damage, and national economic ruin. The War of a Thousand Days left the country too weak to prevent Panama's secession from the republic in 1903.

References

The War of One Thousand Days
Columbia - A Country Study

Category

Intrastate War

Region

South America

State(s)

Colombia (Panama)

Belligerents

Colombian Conservatives, Colombian Liberals

Dispute

Governance

Initiation Date

October 17, 1899

Termination Date

November 21, 1902

Duration

3 years, 1 month, 5 days
(1131 days)

Outcome

Negotiated Settlement
(Conservative Victory)

Fatalities

Total: 100,000

Magnitude

5.0