List of Governors of the Department of Santander

The Governor of the Department Santander heads the executive branch of the government of the Colombian department of Santander. He or she is the highest ranking official in the department, serving as the main agent for the President of Colombia to carry on the task of maintaining public order and the execution of the general economic policy, and all matters of law passed down for the nation. The current governor is Horacio Serpa Uribe.

Presidents of the Sovereign State of Santander

The Sovereign State of Santander was created on May 13, 1857 as the third Sovereign State of the Republic of New Granada. The State would be an independent entity within the country ruled by a President which would be elected by the State Congress. The President of the state would act as the governor of the region but with more power and independence from the central government, in turn, the title of Governor was given to the heads of government of the provinces of the state.

Many presidents of the state, due to the great amount of power they held, and the political importance of the region, went on to become Presidents of the Nation, and others went on to become important political figures in Congress or other areas.

On April 8, 1859, Congress passed a law giving the President of the Country, then theGranadine Confederation, the right to remove the duly appointed Governors of the States and appoint one of his choosing. With this law, the President secured the power of the Conservative Party. This...
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