An exploration of women's involvement in the Latin American Wars of Independence

Julio Arboleda Pombo

Other names: Eldropeito

Gender:Male

Ethnic origen: White

Events:

Connections:

Biography:
A lawyer, military man, politician, academic, journalist, poet and dramatist, born in Popayán on 9 July 1817. He used irony in his political paper, El Misófero. He founded El Patriota, El Independiente, and El Payanés (all based in Popayán); El Siglo, El Constitucional, El Día, La Epoca, El Porvenir (Bogotá) and El Intérprete del Pueblo, La Revista, El Comercio (Lima).

He wrote the political poems: “Al congreso granadino”; “Estoy en la cárcel” and “Escenas democráticas”.
He was a general in the New Granadan army. He studied in England and Italy, returning to Colombia in 1840. His political struggles put him against General Mosquera and José Hilario López. His paper El Misóforo was against J.H. López. He wrote epic poems and some folletos on current affairs. He was assassinated in the Berruecos mountains, near Pasto on 12 November 1862. (Ardila, 49-51).

In 1830, he went to Europe with his father, Rafael Arboleda. His father died in 1831, but Julio stayed for 8 years, studying for a degree at the University of London. He returned to Popayán in 1838 and became involved in politics. He joined the National Guard and took part in quelling a rebellion against the Bogotá government. In 1849, he established a satirical journal, El Misóforo, that was against "the democratic and socialistic liberal party". He was imprisoned for this work. (Coester, 278-279)

He married Matilde Pombo. (Monsalve, 138)

He used pseudonym Eldropeito.

Brother of Sergio Arboleda Pombo.

References:

Ardila A, Hector M. (1984) Hombres y letras de Colombia
Coester, Alfred (1919) The Literary History of Spanish America
Monsalve, José D (1926) Mujeres de la independencia