Manuel Amador Guerrero
Manuel Amador Guerrero (Turbaco, Republic of New Granada, June 30, 1833-Panama City, Panama, May 2, 1909) was a Colombian politician and doctor, one of the managers of the separation of Panama, member of the Provisional Board of Government and first Constitutional President of the Republic of Panama.
Biography
Early Years
He was born in Turbaco, Republic of New Granada, near the city of Cartagena de Indias, on June 30, 1833. Born into a family of wealthy businessmen and politicians, he was the son of José María Amador y Leguina, and María Mercedes Guerrero Córdoba. His grandfather José Antonio Amador Rodríguez, who was alderman of Cartagena de Indias during the War of Independence, was the brother of Antonio Carlos Amador Rodríguez, delegate to the General Convention of the Free State of Cartagena, Governor Juan de Dios Amador and General Martín Amador., who was executed during the Reconquest.
He graduated as a surgeon from the Universidad del Magdalena y del Istmo (current University of Cartagena) in 1855. He worked as a physician for a few months in 1855 in Cartagena de Indias.
Attracted by the construction of the railroad between Panama and Colon, he arrived in this city in the middle of the same year, occupying the position of doctor of the Railroad Company, with residence at the Monkey Hill Station, in the Atlantic sector. After the work on the 'Iron Horse' (1855) was finished, he moved to the city of Colón where he was appointed Postmaster.
Leaving the administrative position, he moved to the city of Santiago, inviting his brother Juan de Dios Amador Guerrero to form a commercial house under the name 'Amador Hermanos'.
Because of his great gifts and political knowledge, he was appointed to different positions in the District Administration, in the Municipal Council, deputy to the Chamber of Representatives in Bogotá, and other additional positions to his duties as a doctor. The deep-rooted political convictions of him and defender of the Conservative Party, he became active in that field, which led him to be deported, in 1868 to his homeland.
In 1869, Amador Guerrero returned to Panama and settled in the capital of the department, practicing his profession as a doctor and establishing a pharmacy on Avenida B., where he worked as a doctor and dispensed his prescriptions. He was appointed doctor of the Santo Tomás Hospital, in which he served for 29 years, attending as a physician for 19 years free of charge.
Additionally, Amador Guerrero held a position in the Administration as municipal councilor and deputy to the Legislative Assembly of the Sovereign State of Panama, for this province and prefect of the same.
On January 6, 1872, he married María Ossa Escobar, to whom Raúl Arturo Amador Ossa and Elmira Amador Ossa de Ehrman were born.
Political life
Amador moved to Panama City at the end of 1855. He actively participated in Colombian politics and enrolled in the Conservative Party, eventually holding high positions within this group. As a representative for the province of Veraguas, he held a seat for some time in the Congress of the Republic of New Granada.
In 1866 he was elected the first designated Head of State of the Federal State of Panama. The following year he was elected president of the State, but an armed revolt prevented him from holding office. Defeated and prisoner on the battlefield, he then had to suffer exile that lasted for a year.
Although he did not stop taking an active part in politics, he did not appear in any position until 1886, when, due to the resignation of the civil and military head of the State, General Ramón Santodomingo Vila, Amador Guerrero temporarily took charge of command supreme.
During the last 30 years of the 19th century, it fell to Manuel Amador Guerrero to reorganize the Santo Tomás Hospital, an old charity institution that dated back to colonial times, which due to the chronic poverty of the country could not carry out properly breadth of the humanitarian mission to which she was called. Always as a doctor, sometimes as superintendent, and without receiving any remuneration most of the time, Amador Guerrero was the soul and arm of the institution, and he dedicated his efforts and philanthropic enthusiasm to it with exemplary self-sacrifice and public spirit.
In 1890 an issue of vital importance to the Isthmus of Panama was being debated. It was clear that the French Canal Company, which had begun construction of the interoceanic highway, was unable to complete it within the term stipulated in the contract.
Works were almost totally suspended, and the isthmus began to feel once again a terrible economic decline. There was hope that through an extension of the concession the company could be reorganized and thus ensure the completion of work so vital to the economic life of the country. Panama, directly affected by the crisis, then decided to send a commission made up of four of its most representative citizens to Bogotá with the aim of managing the extension before the central government. For this commission, Amador Guerrero was appointed, together with the Panamanian engineer Pedro J. Sosa, author together with Wyse and Reclus of the layout of the route chosen for the Canal; the bishop of the diocese, José Alejandro Peralta; and Ricardo Arango, later governor of the department.
The Colombian government agreed to grant a 10-year extension beginning in 1894, through which a new company was organized and the company was saved from total loss. Despite this, the work was mortally wounded.
After the collapse of the French canal, negotiations take place between Colombia and the United States to resume excavation of the interoceanic canal. New hopes were born for the Panamanian people when the Herrán-Hay contract was signed, which entrusted the completion of the work by the E.U. The Colombian congress rejected the agreement and Panama was once again faced with its possible ruin. Misery reigned on the isthmus. The Thousand Days War broke out, ending in November 1902.
Before the Colombian congress rejected the Herrán-Hay treaty, the Panamanian people plunged into despair due to the imminent ruin and misery in which the isthmus was found. Given this unfortunate situation, the most illustrious citizens began to plan the separation of Panama with the aim of getting the country out of misery, negotiating a new canal treaty with the United States government. José Agustín Arango, a prominent citizen on the isthmus, then conceived the idea of incorporating the isthmus into the role of nations as an independent republic. He confided his secret to Amador and both dedicated themselves to working together for several months to separate the isthmus from Colombia. Until the Republic of Panama finally emerged on November 3, 1903.
Presidency
He dedicated his administrative management to the establishment of the institutionalization of the Isthmus of Panama. He was President of the Sovereign State of Panama. He stood out as a politician when he was elected at the National Constituent Convention in 1904, by unanimous decision, as the First Constitutional President of Panama once the separation from Colombia was achieved. He participated together with José Agustín Arango in the separatist process and was sent to Washington to hold talks aimed at establishing a treaty for the construction of the Panama Canal.
The contest of his cabinet and the National Assembly achieved radical changes for the benefit of the political, economic and educational growth of the country; the executive, legislative and judicial bodies on which the bases for the democratic system were founded were readjusted; the income, tax and fiscal system was modified; customs were organized; ports were opened to world trade; high schools and craft schools were opened.
The National State devoted itself to addressing problems such as the lack of means of communication and, in this sense, it was necessary to prepare for the construction of highways, roads, docks, bridges, which gradually materialized in the first twenty years of republic.
Negotiations were also advanced with the United Fruit Company to establish wireless telegraphic communication between Colón and Bocas del Toro in Panama and Puerto Limón in Costa Rica, according to Law 16 of April 6, 1904.
On the other hand, Amador Guerrero endowed the country with the Organic Law of Education, Law 11 of March 23, 1904 which made primary education public, free and compulsory; and also legislated on secondary, professional and industrial education. The decentralization of public education was advocated and it was pointed out that it was necessary to create special revenues to support education; primary school was divided into urban and rural. The Law empowered the creation of Normal Schools with principles applicable to industry, agriculture and commerce.
At this stage, 6,000,000 dollars were assigned to a special fund in New York, out of the ten million received from the United States for the rights granted by Panama for the construction of the Canal, which was called the "fund of the posterity". A Monetary Agreement was also signed that established parity between the American gold coin and the Panamanian silver coin. Amador Guerrero left numerous works as a legacy to the new generations, such as the construction of the Government Palace and the National Theater, the regularization and improvement of the mail service and its incorporation into the Universal Postal Union, the organization of the Statistics Office, the extension of the Santo Tomás Hospital, and the opening of the Maternity House, the Obstetrics School, a Lazareto and an asylum. In addition, under his mandate, the Bolívar Asylum for the elderly and indigent valetudinaries was improved.
It is worth remembering his contribution to the improvement of education in Panama through the foundation of the School of Arts and Crafts, in charge of instructing the country's workers; the Schools for the instruction of the natives; higher schools for children of both sexes; business and language schools; and the School of Telegraphy in the Capital. In Arraiján, a Central Hat Making School was created to instruct young people in making toquilla straw hats. The National Conservatory of Music and Declamation was also created.
At that time, scholarships were awarded to young Panamanians to study in Europe and the United States. Under the management of Amador Guerrero, the State was organized with its respective Secretariats (today, ministries) and bills were presented to improve its operation. The secretariats of Government and Foreign Relations and that of Public Instruction and Justice were considered overburdened.
To guarantee that the public service would be efficient and timely, it was considered that public instruction would function as a single office, and matters related to the Judiciary were added to the Government Secretariat. The secretariats of Government and Justice, Development, Public Instruction, Foreign Relations and Finance and Treasury were then created.
Under the management of Amador Guerrero, the Republic of Panama had a plenipotentiary representation before the Peace Conference in The Hague and before the third International American Conference, held in Rio de Janeiro.
He was a defender of the Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty and for this he formed the State Commission on the Treaty, made up of Belisario Porras and Francisco Filós. The purpose of this commission was to clarify the doubts of certain Panamanians about the rights granted to the United States over the territory of the Canal Zone. Finally, the conclusion was reached that the treaty did not harm the sovereignty of Panama.
Last years and death
Many days, months, years passed and Amador's health faded as time went by. He requested leave from his position for six months, which was granted by Law 28 of June 29, 1907 .He was also assigned a generous sum for expenses
In New York, it was determined that Amador suffered from sarcoma, an incurable disease. He was prescribed a painkiller; and he was privately informed that he would not live more than two years.
The President traveled to France and visited President Clément Armand Fallières. From Paris, Amador went to Geneva, receiving in that city an invitation from the King of Italy to visit him, which he declined due to his illness. This decision also prevented him from seeing the pope in Rome.
On November 3, 1907, he celebrated it in Paris, offering a reception. On his return to New York he was visited by President Theodore Roosevelt. Amador had to extend his stay in that city due to his poor health.
During Amador's absence, the designated José Domingo de Obaldía was in charge of the presidency in Panama.
Upon his return to Panama, some friends asked Amador to consider his re-election. In a letter to which he intended to give content of high politics, and aware of the terrible state of his health, he refused to consider any possibility of re-election.
Faced with the presidential elections of 1908, the candidacies of Ricardo Arias Feraud and José Domingo de Obaldía arose. Arias had the backing of a party calling itself the Constitutional Party, made up mostly of conservatives and a small liberal minority. He was seen as the candidate of the Amador administration.
Manuel Amador Guerrero died in Panama City on May 2, 1909.
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