José María Reina Barrios Facts for Kids

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Reina and the second or maternal family name is Barrios.

Quick facts for kids General of Division José María de Jesús Reina Barrios
Portrait, Museo Nacional de Historia de Guatemala

15th President of Guatemala
In office 15 March 1892 – 8 February 1898
Preceded by	Manuel Lisandro Barillas Bercián
Succeeded by	Manuel Estrada Cabrera

Personal details
Born	(1854-12-24)24 December 1854 San Marcos, Guatemala
Died	8 February 1898(1898-02-08) (aged 43) Guatemala City, Guatemala
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Algeria Benton
Children	He did not have any children with Argelia Benton; but he did have five children out of wedlock, among them Joaquín and José.
Parents	Joaquín Reina Celia Barrios de Reyna
Residence	Guatemala City
Alma mater	Escuela Politécnica
Occupation	Military
Signature
Nicknames	"Reinita" "Don Chemita" "Tachuela" "Man of the tragic eights"

José María Reyna Barrios (born December 24, 1854 – died February 8, 1898) was the 15th President of Guatemala. He served from March 15, 1892, until his death in 1898. He was born in San Marcos, Guatemala. People often called him Reynita, which means "little Reina," because he was not very tall.

He was a member of Guatemala's Liberal Party. He worked to continue some of the changes started by an earlier president, Justo Rufino Barrios.

Political Journey
- The 1892 Presidential Election
His Time as President
- Building New Things
His Death
Images for kids
See also

Political Journey

Algeria Benton, Reyna Barrios's American wife, playing the harp. They married in New York in 1886.

Algeria Benton de Reyna Barrios official portrait.

Reyna Barrios was the nephew of President Justo Rufino Barrios. This connection helped him start his career in politics. After his uncle's sudden death in 1885, Reyna Barrios became more active in politics.

However, the next president, Manuel Lisandro Barillas, was worried about Reyna Barrios's popularity. So, he sent Reyna Barrios to Europe. He said it was for a diplomatic job, but the job never happened. Reyna Barrios ended up staying in Europe and the United States for several years.

The 1892 Presidential Election

Reyna Barrios eventually returned to Guatemala. He arrived just in time to run in the 1892 presidential election. This election was special because it was the first time candidates could advertise in local newspapers.

Here were some of the candidates:

Name	Party	Other information
Lorenzo Montúfar	Liberal	He was criticized for spending money to publish his portrait in newspapers.
Francisco Lainfiesta	Liberal	He shared his government plans in a newspaper, using the freedom of the press.
José María Reyna Barrios	Liberal	He was the one who won the election.
Miguel Enríquez	Conservative	He used to be a liberal but became a conservative.
José Carranza Llerena	Conservative	He was a doctor for President Barillas.

President Barillas Bercian was different from other liberal presidents of his time. He peacefully gave up power to his successor. Before the election, he met with the three main Liberal candidates. He wanted to know their plans if they became president.

He asked Francisco Lainfiesta and Dr. Montúfar about their plans. Both said they would follow the Constitution strictly.

Then, General Reyna Barrios came in. When Barillas asked him the same question, Reyna Barrios smiled and said, "We are very similar, General. I will know how to respect and protect you." They shook hands warmly.

At first, the voting seemed to favor Lainfiesta. But on the third day, many Indigenous people from Quetzaltenango and Totonicapán came to vote for Reyna Barrios. The official helpers made sure Reyna Barrios won. He became President on March 15, 1892.

His Time as President

During Reyna Barrios's time in office, he made many changes. He worked to make Guatemala City look grander. He built wide avenues, similar to those in Paris, France.

He also made sure Guatemala hosted the first "Exposición Centroamericana" (Central American Fair) in 1897. This fair was meant to show off Guatemala's progress to people from other countries.

1897 Central America Fair

Hotel Exposición 1896

Central American Fair hall ready for its grand opening.

1897 Central American Fair hall during the event.

Central American Fair booklet, printed by the Guatemalan Post Office.

Building New Things

Poster of Guatemala City during Reyna Barrios's time as president.

To prepare for the Central American Fair, his government made the city more beautiful. They built new avenues and monuments. He also worked on the Northern Railroad of Guatemala. Many of these buildings were later destroyed by earthquakes in 1917-1918.

His government also improved roads and set up telegraph lines for national and international communication. They also brought electricity to Guatemala City. A major goal was to finish a railway that would go across the country. This was important to attract international businesses before the Panama Canal was built.

Buildings and monuments built during Reyna Barrios's time
Monument	Image	After 1917-1918 Earthquakes	Location	Description
Central Square Remodeling			Guatemala City Center	The Central Square was updated for the Central America Fair. An old fountain was removed, and a new iron fence was added.
Presidential Palace			Central Square	Reyna Barrios hired an architect to build this palace. It was finished in 1896 and served as the government's main building until it was destroyed by the 1917-1918 earthquakes.
"30 de junio" Boulevard			Southern part of Guatemala City.	This avenue was built to honor the Liberal Reform of 1871. Many monuments and buildings were along this road. Only some statues survived the earthquakes.
"La Reforma" Palace and Museum			"30 de junio" Boulevard	This palace and museum was popular with visitors. It was destroyed by the 1917-1918 earthquakes. Later, a monument to Independence was built in its place.
Central American Fair Hall		N/A	"30 de junio" Boulevard	This building was made specifically for the Central American Fair in 1897.
Real Estate Record Office	N/A		Old plaza of Guatemala City	This was one of the few buildings that survived the 1917-1918 earthquakes. It later became the National History Museum.
Indigenous Agriculture School			"La Aurora" city park	This school was in "La Aurora" city park. It was later used for a teacher's college but was destroyed by the 1917-1918 earthquakes.

His Death

Palace of La Reforma. Built by Reyna Barrios between 1892 and 1898. It was destroyed by the 1917 Guatemala earthquake.

José María Reina Barrios was assassinated on February 8, 1898, in Guatemala City. He was killed by Edgar Zollinger, a British citizen. Zollinger acted in revenge for a past conflict involving Juan Aparicio, a former mayor of Quetzaltenango.